Viall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Viall is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a calf-heard which was in turn derived from the Old French word veel, meaning calf.
Early Origins of the Viall family
The surname Viall was first found in Gloucestershire where two knights by the name De Vile were honored in the Honour Roll of Battle Abbey in 1066 and were granted lands in that shire.
In later years, to the far south in Cornwall another branch of the family was found. "Trevayler, in [the parish of Gulval], is the property and residence of the Rev. William Veale, in whose family it has long been vested. This gentleman has considerable property in Gulval." 1
Early History of the Viall family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Viall research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Viall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Viall Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Viall has been recorded under many different variations, including Veale, Veal, Viall, Vile, Viell and others.
Early Notables of the Viall family
More information is included under the topic Early Viall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Viall family to Ireland
Some of the Viall family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Viall migration to the United States +
To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Vialls were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:
Viall Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- John Viall, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1639 2
Viall Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Hack Viall, aged 29, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
Viall migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Viall Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Mr. William Viall U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Penobscot Association 3
Viall 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:
Viall Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Robert Viall, aged 23, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
Contemporary Notables of the name Viall (post 1700) +
- Edward J. Viall, American politician, Mayor of the City of Flint, Michigan (1946 to 1948)
- Kenneth Abbott Viall (1893-1974), American Bishop of Tokyo (1949)
- James A. Viall, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1880 4
- Herbert B. Viall, American politician, Mayor of Keene, New Hampshire, 1889-90 4
- George Marcius Viall (b. 1849), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Vermont State Senate from Bennington County, 1882; Member of Vermont State House of Representatives from Dorset, 1886, 1904, 1910 4
- Edward J. Viall, American politician, Mayor of Flint, Michigan, 1946-48 4
Citations +
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html