Curtle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Curtle

What does the name Curtle mean?

The name Curtle is derived from the Old French words "cortiller, courtuiller, cultilier" which mean "gardener" or is a derivative of the MIddle English word "curtil" or "kirtle," a maker of kirtles. Kirtles were a garment that was worn by men and women in the Middle Ages, eventually known to be a kirtle dress.

Early Origins of the Curtle family

The surname Curtle was first found in Essex where Geoffrey le Cultelier was registered as holding lands in the Pipe Rolls of 1186. William le Curtiller was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Wiltshire in 1199. Both entries point to the occupational nature of the name with the use of "le." Ralph Curtiler was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296 and William and Roger le Corteler were both listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 1

The Kirtley variant is derived from Kirkley, "a township in the parish of Ponteland, ten miles from Newcastle, Northumberland." 2

Early History of the Curtle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Curtle research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1186, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Curtle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Curtle Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Curtle has appeared include Curtler, Courtler, Kirtler, Cirtler, Curtillier, Corteler, Cortler and many more.

Early Notables of the Curtle family

the Curtler family of Worcestershire

Migration of the Curtle family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Curtle arrived in North America very early: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)