The roots of the Battles family stretch back to the Strathclyde people of the Scottish/English Borderlands, who were the first to use the surname. It is derived from any of several place names in
England, such as Battle in
Sussex. Contrary to what one would expect, the name is not a
nickname or
occupational name derived from the word battle.
Early Origins of the Battles family
The surname Battles was first found in
Berwickshire an ancient county of
Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, Scotland.
Early History of the Battles family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Battles research.
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1400, 1649 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Battles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Battles Spelling Variations
The variation in the spelling of Medieval names is a result of the lack of spelling rules in the English language prior to the last few
hundred years. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound, often varying the spelling of name within a single document. Battles has appeared as Battle, Battell, Battel, Battaile, Battail and others.
Early Notables of the Battles family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Battles Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Battles family to Ireland
Some of the Battles 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.
Migration of the Battles family to the New World and Oceana
As the persecution of
Clan families continued, they sailed for North America in increasing numbers. In most cases, they found the freedom and opportunity they sought. Land was often available and the American
War of Independence allowed Scots an opportunity to solidify their independence from the English crown. These settlers and their ancestors went on to play essential roles in the forging of the nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:
Battles Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Thomas Battles, who landed in Massachusetts in 1642 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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) - Robert Battles, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1658 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Battles Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Miss Battles, who arrived in Kentucky in 1858 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Contemporary Notables of the name Battles (post 1700)
- Clifford Franklin "Cliff" Battles (1910-1981), American NFL football halfback, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968