Show ContentsArndell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Arndell

What does the name Arndell mean?

The name Arndell was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Arndell family lived in Arundel in the west of the county of Sussex. This place name is thought to be derived from the Old English words, hoar, meaning gray, hune, which described a variety of plant, and dell, meaning valley. 1

Early Origins of the Arndell family

The surname Arndell was first found in the counties of Sussex in southern England, and Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire, to the west. The Earls of Arundel came into England in 1066, with the Conqueror, and acquired much land, descended are the Lords Arundel of Wardour.

"Linchmere [in Sussex] was held as of the honour of Arundel, by William de Perci, at an early period, and afterwards became the property of the family of Fitzalan." 2

The family name derives from the western branch of Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire, where they held about twenty lordships during the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086. "A Norman family, which for centuries has flourished in the West of England, traced by Dugdale to 'Rogerius Arundel,' mentioned in Domesday." 3

"According to Domesday Book, Roger de Arundel was found to be possessed of twenty-eight lordships in Somerset, 20 William the Conqueror, and he no doubt was the Norman whose name appears on the roll [of Battel Abbey]. " 4

St. Michael in Cornwall was an early homestead of the family. "The ancient name of this place was Modeshole, under which appellation John de Arundell, in 1301, certified his right to a market and fair here, which had been previously granted to Walter de Raleigh." 2

"The Arundells are amongst the few Cornish families of Norman origin, and there are still fewer of French extraction who have for so long a period as at least five or six centuries been, like them, traceable in that county. 'The Great Arundells' as they were styled - appear to have settled in Cornwall, about the middle of the thirteenth century, at the place so called (now the site of a nunnery.)" 5

And another branch of the family was found in Lifton, Devon since early times. "The manor and lordship were, by grant of Edward VI., vested in the ancestors of W. A. H. Arundell, Esq., the present proprietor." 2

"Another manor called Tregarne Condurra, which is partly in this parish, and partly in St. Keverne, St. Martin's, Manaccan, Budock, and Mawgan, formerly belonged to the Earls of Cornwall. From these it became the property of the Arundells of Lanherne, in which family it continued until the year 1737." 6

Early History of the Arndell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arndell research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1315, 1353, 1373, 1376, 1386, 1388, 1389, 1391, 1396, 1397, 1398, 1399, 1405, 1407, 1410, 1414, 1418, 1495, 1504, 1522, 1549, 1555, 1558, 1561, 1576, 1580, 1607, 1613, 1616, 1636, 1640, 1641, 1656, 1660, 1687, 1694 and 1701 are included under the topic Early Arndell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arndell 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. Arndell has been recorded under many different variations, including Arrundell, Arundell, Arundel, Arundelle, Aringale, Arringale, Arrundale, Arrindell, Arindale, Arungale, Erringdale, Erundell and many more.

Early Notables of the Arndell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Arundel (1353-1414), Archbishop of Canterbury in 1397 and from 1399 until his death, an outspoken opponent of the Lollards, Bishop of Ely (1373), elevated to the position of Archbishop of York (1388), served twice as Lord Chancellor (1386-1389) and (1391-1396), in 1396 he was made Archbishop of Canterbury, within a year, he was exiled by the king, he spent it in Florence, where at Richard II's request, the Roman Pope Boniface IX translated him to become Bishop of St. Andrews (1398), which was an empty fate because Scotland realized it already had...
Another 194 words (14 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arndell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Arndell family to Ireland

Some of the Arndell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Arndell 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. Arndells were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Arndell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Arndell, who arrived in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "Abigaile" 7
  • Peeter Arndell, who arrived in Virginia in 1624 7

Arndell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Arndell Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William H Arndell, aged 27, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1864

Contemporary Notables of the name Arndell (post 1700) +

  • Thomas Arndell (1753-1821), English-born, Australian Assistant Surgeon to the settlement in New South Wales who arrived with the First Fleet, eponym of Arndell Park, New South Wales


The Arndell 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: De hirundine
Motto Translation: From the swallow.


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  4. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  7. 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)


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