Cornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Carnel. A revival of the Cornish language which began in the 9th century AD has begun. No doubt this was the language spoken by distant forebears of the Carnel family. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which
hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval
England is fascinating. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames. The name Carnel is a
local type of surname and the Carnel family lived in the county of
Cornwall in southwest England.
Early Origins of the Carnel family
The surname Carnel was first found in
Devon where they held a
family seat from very ancient times, long before the
Norman Conquest in 1066.
Early History of the Carnel family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carnel research.
Another 389 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1513, 1601, 1452, 1467, 1581, 1659, 1613, 1644, 1842, 1605, 1675, 1610, 1662, 1632, 1673, 1660, 1662, 1655, 1698, 1692, 1693, 1689, 1698, 1654, 1717, 1685, 1689, 1468, 1537, 1502, 1503, 1514, 1515, 1505, 1506, 1515, 1516, 1519, 1520 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Carnel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Carnel Spelling Variations
Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into
England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly,
spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of
Cornwall and the rest of
England. The Cornish spoke a unique
Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled
Cornwall, Cornelle, Cornell, Cornwell, Cornewall, Cornal, Cornale, Cornevale, Carnwell, Carnewell, Carnville, Carnevale, Cornhall, Cornehall, Cornhale, Cornwale, Curnow (from native Cornish word) and many more.
Early Notables of the Carnel family (pre 1700)
Notable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Cornwall,
High Sheriff of
Herefordshire in 1452 and 1467; Jane Cornwallis (1581-1659), an English lady whose private correspondence (1613-1644) were published in 1842, mother of Frederick Cornwallis; Thomas Cornwallis
(c. 1605-1675), an English politician and colonial administrator, one of the first Commissioners...
Another 113 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Carnel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Carnel family to Ireland
Some of the Carnel family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 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 Carnel family to the New World and Oceana
An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Carnel or a variant listed above:
Carnel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Moses Carnel, who arrived in Mississippi in 1799 [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)
The Carnel 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: La Vie Durante
Motto Translation: During life.