Cornall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Etymology of Cornall

What does the name Cornall mean?

The name Cornall is generally thought to have been derived from the Old French word 'cornet', 'a wind instrument made of horn or resembling a horn' or perhaps 'a player of the cornet.' 1 2

Early Origins of the Cornall family

The surname Cornall was first found in Cumberland at Corney, a parish, in the union of Bootle, Allerdale ward above Derwent. 1

"The surface is boldly varied, and the scenery in many parts strikingly picturesque; the higher grounds command diversified prospects, and from Corney Hall is an exceedingly fine view of the sea and numerous interesting objects. On the lands of the Hall are several veins of iron-ore of very rich quality, but of limited depth, which were wrought to some extent about 80 years since." 3

The first records of the family were found in this area. Benedict de Corneye was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1260 and Robert Cornay held estates at Low Hall, Yorkshire in 1301. 1 The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332 listed Robert de Cornay, Lancashire; and Roger de Cornay, Lancashire. 4

Further to the north in Scotland, early records there revealed "a Sir Milo Corneth otherwise Milone Cornet appears in record about the close of the twelfth century and during the first quarter of the thirteenth he is designated prior of St. Germains in East Lothian. As Dominus Milo Corneht he was witness to the marches of Stobo about 1180. As Milone Comet he witnessed a grant of the old castle of Forfar by Robert de Quincy to Reginald de Arngentine c. 1200, and as Milone Cornet he witnessed a grant by Peter de Grame to the Hospital of Soltre between 1190-1238. In 1220 he appears again as a witness. About 1230 he is again a witness in a charter by Ade filius Edulphi to the Abbey of Neubotle. As Milone Corneth he witnessed a charter granted by Sayerus de Quincy, earl of Winchester, for the souls of King William, R. de Quincy, my father, and R. my son. To this charter the earl appends 'the seal of Roger, my son, the only one with me.' " 5

Early History of the Cornall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cornall research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1455, 1480, 1487, 1510, 1557, 1600, 1795, 1811, 1813, 1814, 1817, 1825, 1827, 1831, 1837, 1839, 1842, 1847 and 1848 are included under the topic Early Cornall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cornall Spelling Variations

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 Corne, Corney, Cornie, Cornay, Cornhay, Cawney, Cawny, Corn, Cornah, Cornall and many more.

Early Notables of the Cornall family

Victor Cornette, son of an organist, born at Amiens 1795, a musician of indefatigable activity. He entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1811, and studied composition under Lesueur. He served in the band of the 'Grenadiers tirailleurs de la Garde Impériale' in 1813 and 1814, and was at Waterloo; was professor at the College of St. Acheul from 1817 to 1825...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cornall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cornall migration to the United States +

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 Cornall or a variant listed above:

Cornall Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

James Cornall, who landed in New England in 1631 6

Cornall 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:

Cornall Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Jonathon Cornall, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1874
Ann Cornall, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1874
Alice Cornall, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1874
Elizabeth Cornall, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1874
Louisa Cornall, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Cornall (post 1700) +

Jan Cornall (b. 1950), Australian singer, comedian and writer

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)