Viel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancestors of the Viel family migrated to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The surname Viel is for a calf-heard which was in turn derived from the Old French word veel, meaning calf.
Early Origins of the Viel family
The surname Viel 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 Viel family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Viel research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Viel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Viel Spelling Variations
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Viel family name include Veale, Veal, Viall, Vile, Viell and others.
Early Notables of the Viel family
More information is included under the topic Early Viel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Viel Ranking
In France, the name Viel is the 1,005th most popular surname with an estimated 5,278 people with that name. 2
Migration of the Viel family to Ireland
Some of the Viel 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.
Viel migration to the United States +
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Viel family to immigrate North America:
Viel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Maria Viel, who arrived in America in 1742 3
- Anna Maria Viel, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1742 3
- Johann Jacob Viel, who landed in America in 1767 3
Viel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Mr. Lelle Viel, (b. 1847), aged 33, French merchant traveling from Barbados aboard the ship "S.S. Bahama" arriving in New York in 1880 4
- Mr. Antonio Viel, aged 30, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Gascogne" 5
- Mr. Costante Viel, aged 43, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Gascogne" 6
Viel 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:
Viel Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- George Viel, aged 27, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Apelles" in 1874
Contemporary Notables of the name Viel (post 1700) +
- Cristián Enrique Viel Temperley (b. 1967), former Argentine rugby union player
Citations +
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)
- Barbados archives retrieved 27th October 2021 from https://atthebarbadosarchives.wordpress.com/2003/07/18/barbados-heritage-passenger-lists-and-barbados-departures/
- Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2055
- Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2056