Mansell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 


The name Mansell arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mansell family lived in Glamorgan. Their name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Le Mans, Normandy.

"This name is frequently found in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of the twelfth century, and certainly remained in Normandy for upwards of six hundred years." 1

Early Origins of the Mansell family

The surname Mansell was first found in Glamorgan where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Oxwick. Sir Phillip de Maunsell (Mansel) accompanied William, Duke of Normandy at Hastings in the Conquest of England in 1066 A.D. He was succeeded by Henry Maunsell, who was father of Sir John Maunsell (c.1190-1265,) Chief Justice of England about 1130 A.D. He received "from Philip Harley (called in the pedigree his grandfather) the manor of Oxmuth or Ormuch in Glamorgan, which long remained the dwelling place of his family. From him descended the celebrated ecclesiastic John Mancel, who in the time of Henry III. ranked among the first men in the land. He was reputed to be the richest clerk in the world, and as a proof of 'the enormities of the principles of plurality and nonresidence which prevailed in those days,' it is computed that he held seven hundred livings (jobs) at one and the same time !" 1

But, there is another version of this family's origins: "the curious poetical history of this family, preserved in 'Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica,' claims one 'Saher' there written 'Sier, the syer of us all,' as their ancestor: he is stated to have been the son of Ralph Maunsel, who was living in Buckinghamshire in the 14th of Henry II. (1167). " 2

"A priory for Black canons was founded [at Bilsington, Kent], before the year 1253, by John Mansell, provost of Beverley, who dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had several entries for the family using various early spellings: Thomas le Mansell in Buckinghamshire; Sampson le Maunse in Bedfordshire; Frater Maunsel in Norfolk; Maunsel (without surname) in Huntingdonshire; and Thomas Maunsel in Cambridgeshire. Over one hundred years later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had two entries: Johannes Mauncell; and Alicia Maunsell. 4 The last entry is very significant in that entries for women were indeed rare at this time.

Early History of the Mansell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mansell research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1195, 1264, 1487, 1542, 1559, 1579, 1623, 1640, 1645, 1665, 1677 and 1699 are included under the topic Early Mansell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mansell Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Maunsell, Maunsel, Mansel, Mancel, Mauncell, Mauncel, Mannsell, Mannsel and many more.

Early Notables of the Mansell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Mansell Ranking

In the United States, the name Mansell is the 8,632nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Mansell family to Ireland

Some of the Mansell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Mansell migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Mansell or a variant listed above:

Mansell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Mansell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Mansell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mansell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mansell Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mansell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mansell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mansell migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Mansell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Mansell (post 1700) +


The Mansell Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Honorantes me honorabo
Motto Translation: I will honour those who honour me.
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