Argyll is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in
England with the
Norman Conquest of 1066. Argyll is a name that comes from the Dutch surname
Van Arkel. The name
Van Arkel may spring from the
Anglo-Saxon form of
Hercules, which is
Ercol. A less likely root of the name is the parish of
Ercoll Magna, or
High Ercoll in Shropshire.
Early Origins of the Argyll family
The surname Argyll was first found in
Berwickshire, in south east
Scotland, arriving in
Scotland soon after the
Norman Conquest in 1066. They are the northern branch of the family name descended from Anketell, or Arnketill.
Early History of the Argyll family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Argyll research.
Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1500, 1533, 1588, 1572, 1626 and 1621 are included under the topic Early Argyll History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Argyll 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 Argyll family name include Arkell, Arkle, Arkill, Arcle, Argal, Argall, Arnkell, Artell, Artill, Arctall, Arktale, Arktell, Arktull, Arkgale and many more.
Early Notables of the Argyll family (pre 1700)
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Argyll Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Argyll family to the New World and Oceana
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 Argyll family to immigrate North America: Sir Samuel Argal who settled in Virginia in 1624.
Contemporary Notables of the name Argyll (post 1700)
- Duke John Douglas Sutherland Argyll (1845-1914), 9th Duke of Argyll
- Duke John Argyll (1678-1743), 2nd Duke of Argyll
- Earl Archibald Argyll (1629-1685), 9th Earl of Argyll
- Earl Archibald Argyll (1598-1661), Marquis and 8th Earl of Argyll
- Earl Archibald Argyll (1576-1638), 7th Earl of Argyll
- Earl Archibald Argyll (1530-1573), 5th Earl of Argyll
- Duke Archibald Argyll, 1st Duke of Argyll