Show ContentsDagnall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Dagnall family

The surname Dagnall was first found in Berkshire, where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1200 when Peter de Dagginhall held estates.

Early History of the Dagnall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dagnall research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Dagnall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dagnall Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Dagnall include Dagnall, Dagnell, Degnall, Degnell, Daignall and many more.

Early Notables of the Dagnall family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Dagnall of Berkshire


Dagnall migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dagnall or a variant listed above:

Dagnall Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Dagnall, who settled in Philadelphia in 1866

Contemporary Notables of the name Dagnall (post 1700) +

  • Susan Dagnall, English employee of the London publishing firm George Allen & Unwin who persuaded Tolkien to submit The Hobbit, for publication
  • Kenneth Dagnall (1921-1995), English football referee, who officiated in the Football League and for FIFA, especially during the 1966 World Cup
  • Robert "Bob" Dagnall (1932-1999), English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s
  • Christopher Dagnall (b. 1986), English footballer
  • Reginald Foster Dagnall (1888-1942), British engineer and aircraft designer, born in Fulham, London
  • Thompson Dagnall (b. 1956), British sculptor
  • Charles Edward "Charlie" Dagnall (b. 1976), British cricket commentator and former first-class cricketer
  • Ruby Dagnall (b. 2000), Norwegian actress who has won two Amanda Awards


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