Show ContentsCassels History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the historical and enchanting region of Scotland emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Cassels family. Originally, the Scottish people were known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in Scotland is extremely interesting. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. The surname Cassels is a local name, which belongs to the large category of hereditary surnames. There are many different types of local names. Topographic surnames could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. In this case, the surname Cassels is topographical. The name Cassels was first recorded in England in Lincolnshire.

Early Origins of the Cassels family

The surname Cassels was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Cassels family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cassels research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1439 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cassels History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cassels Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Cassell, Cassel, Cassells, Cassill, Cassills and others.

Early Notables of the Cassels family

More information is included under the topic Early Cassels Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Cassels family to Ireland

Some of the Cassels family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Cassels migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cassels Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Elizabeth Cassels, who settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1686
  • Johannes Cassels, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1691-1692 [1]
Cassels Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Cassels, who arrived in South Carolina in 1762 [1]
  • Isobel Cassels, aged 19, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 [1]
  • John Cassels, aged 16, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 [1]
Cassels Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James M Cassels, who landed in New York in 1822 [1]

Australia Cassels migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cassels Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Cassels, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Moffatt" in 1839 [2]
  • John Cassels, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Dauntless" in 1840 [3]

New Zealand Cassels migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cassels Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Cassels, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Bruce" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th September 1860 [4]
  • Mr. John Cassels, (b. 1834), aged 40, Scottish turner, from Lanark travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Oamaru" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 17th February 1875 [5]
  • Mr. Andrew Cassels, (b. 1860), aged 14, Scottish turner, from Lanark travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Oamaru" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 17th February 1875 [5]

Contemporary Notables of the name Cassels (post 1700) +

  • Sandra Cassels (b. 1952), American actress
  • Walter Cassels (1910-2000), renowned American operatic baritone and actor
  • Seymour Joseph Cassels (b. 1935), American actor
  • William Wharton Cassels (1858-1925), Anglican missionary bishop who went to China, Bishop of Western China (1895 to 1925)
  • Cécile Cassels (b. 1982), French actress
  • Karl Gustav Cassels (1866-1945), Swedish economist
  • Harold Kennedy Cassels (1898-1975), British field hockey player
  • General Sir Robert Archibald Cassels GCB GCSI DSO (1876-1959), Indian Army officer
  • Sir James Dale Cassels (1877-1972), British judge, journalist and Conservative politician
  • David Cassels (1818-1893), German historian and Jewish theologian
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Lusitania


The Cassels 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: Avise la fin
Motto Translation: Consider the end.


  1. 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)
  2. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MOFFATT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Moffatt.htm
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DAUNTLESS 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Dauntless.htm
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  6. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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