Arkdale History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Arkdale family

The surname Arkdale was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Norton Subcourse, which was held principally by Jocelyn of Norwich, a Norman freeman of the King, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Succeeded were the Archdales of Norton Hall.

Early History of the Arkdale family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arkdale research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1000, 1172, 1610, 1614, 1635, 1641, 1642, 1689, 1695, 1696, 1700, 1717, 1810 and 1928 are included under the topic Early Arkdale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arkdale Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Archdale, Archdall, Archdell, Arkdale, Arkdell and others.

Early Notables of the Arkdale family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arkdale Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Arkdale family to Ireland

Some of the Arkdale family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 163 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Arkdale family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Arkdale or a variant listed above: Ann Archdale, who settled in Carolina in 1682; Bryan Archdale, who arrived in Canada in 1827; Jela A. Archdale, who settled in Montana in 1887-1900; Thomas Archdale, who arrived in South Carolina in 1670-1683.

The Arkdale 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: Data fata secutus
Motto Translation: Following my destiny.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)