Show ContentsCundile History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Cundile family first reached the shores of England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Their name is derived from the Norman name Cundel, and arrived with the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The parish of Cundall, comprising the townships of Cundall with Leckby, and Norton-le-Clay, in the wapentake of Hallikeld, and the township of Fawdington in that of Birdforth, North Riding of Yorkshire is home to the family. [1]

Early Origins of the Cundile family

The surname Cundile was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat in the North Riding as Lords of the Manor of Cundall, originally pre Conquest, Cundel, at the time of the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in 1066. [2]

In the Domesday Book survey taken in 1086 the village of Cundall was held by Alured from the Count of Mortain. Conjecturally the Cundalls are descended from this Norman noble. [3]

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on a phonetic appreciation of the names. Ralph de Cundale was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1176 and later, Richard de Kundale was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1301. [4] The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included an entry for Willelmus de Cundall as holding lands there at that time. [5]

"The Cundalls, or Cundells, or Cundills, derive their name from a North Riding parish. During the 17th and 18th centuries the Cundalls were well known in Ripon, and frequently filled the office of mayor." [6]

Early History of the Cundile family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cundile research. Another 27 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1623, 1627, 1757, 1804, 1808, 1810, 1811, 1814 and 1824 are included under the topic Early Cundile History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cundile Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Cundall, Cundal, Cundell, Cundel, Cundil, Cundill, Condall, Condal, Condel and many more.

Early Notables of the Cundile family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry Condell (died 1627), an English actor in the King's Men. With John Heminges, he was instrumental in preparing the First Folio, the collected plays of Shakespeare, published in 1623. [7]Another Henry Condell (b. 1757) was a violinist in the orchestras at the Opera House and Drury Lane and Covent Garden Theatres. In...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cundile Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Cundile family to Ireland

Some of the Cundile family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 35 words (2 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 Cundile family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Cundile or a variant listed above: John and Elizabeth Cundall who settled in Georgia in 1734 with their three sons, John, Thomas, and William; Edward and Robert Cundell arrived in Maryland in 1737 and the next year moved to Virginia.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  7. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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