Churchwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Churchwell is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a verger, who was responsible for showing the congregation to their seats and for the upkeep of the church buildings and surrounding grounds.

Early Origins of the Churchwell family

The surname Churchwell was first found in Gloucestershire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Churchwell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Churchwell research. Another 27 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1275 is included under the topic Early Churchwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Churchwell Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Churchwell include Churchward, Chirchewart, Cyrceweard, Circwoerd and others.

Early Notables of the Churchwell family

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

Churchwell Ranking

In the United States, the name Churchwell is the 7,848^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Churchwell migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Churchwell were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Churchwell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Samuell Churchwell, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Churchwell (post 1700) +

Robert Churchwell (b. 1972), retired American NBA basketball player
William Montgomery Churchwell (1826-1862), American politician, member of the United States House of Representatives for Tennessee
Donnis Hanson "Bull" Churchwell (b. 1936), American NFL football offensive tackle
William Montgomery Churchwell (1826-1862), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Tennessee, 1851-55; U.S. Special Diplomatic Agent to Mexico, 1858 3
Birdia M. Churchwell, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Texas State Board of Education 4th District, 1992 3
James Churchwell Luttrell (1813-1878), American politician, Mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee, 1854, 1859-67 4

The Churchwell 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: Suaviter in modo
Motto Translation: Gentle in manner.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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 Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html