The Calles surname is an old Norman name, derived from the French word "cale" which was a close fitting cap worn by women of the times.
The surname Calles was first found in Wiltshire, where a Swanus Calle is on record in the Rotuli Hundredorum (the Hundredorum Rolls) in 1275. In 1279, John Calle was recorded in Cambridgeshire, in that same collection of documents.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Calles research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1307 is included under the topic Early Calles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Call, Calle, Calles, Caules and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Calles Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Calles family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Calles or a variant listed above: