Eckel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland
Scotland

The name Eckel is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Eccles which was in both Norfolk and a parish near Manchester.

Early Origins of the Eckel family

The surname Eckel was first found in Lancashire where the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332 listed: Adam de Ecclis, of Heaton with Halliwell; and Robert de Ecclis, of Pilkington. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Richard Eccles, Cambridgeshire. 1

Eccles cakes, the round cake filled with currants and made from flaky pastry with butter originates in the English town of Eccles which was originally in Cheshire, then Lancashire and now in Greater Manchester. As to who was the originator of the famous pastry, there is much debate, but they are today sold throughout Lancashire and much of the United Kingdom.

Further to the north in Scotland, "there seems to have been two separate families of this name, one taking their surname from Eccles in Berwickshire, the other from Eccles in Dumfriesshire. Adam de Eccles witnessed a charter by Grim, son of Guido, to the Abbey of Melrose, c. 1170 (Seats Supp., 329). Johan de Eccles of Berwickshire rendered homage in 1296, and Sir Mathew del Ecles of Dumfriesshire was juror in 1304." 2

Early History of the Eckel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eckel research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1618, 1659, 1668, 1670, 1683, 1735 and 1742 are included under the topic Early Eckel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eckel Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Eckel are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Eckel include: Eccles, Ecles, Eckles, Eyckles, Accles, Ackles and others.

Early Notables of the Eckel family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Mathew Eccles of Dumfriesshire; Solomon Eccles (Eagle) (1618-1683), an English composer; and his son, John Eccles (1668-1735), an...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Eckel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eckel Ranking

In the United States, the name Eckel is the 17,791^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Eckel family to Ireland

Some of the Eckel family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eckel migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Eckel or a variant listed above:

Eckel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes Eckel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1742 4
Johann Heinrich Eckel, who arrived in America in 1749 4
Heinrich Eckel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1749 4
Joh Henr Eckel, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 4
Georg Peter Eckel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Eckel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Danl Eckel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1803 4
Johann Eckel, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 4
Georg Phil Eckel, who landed in America in 1854 4
Peter Eckel, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1860 4
Philipp Eckel, who landed in North America in 1866 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Eckel (post 1700) +

Malcolm David Eckel, American Associate Professor of Religion at Boston University
Bruce Eckel (b. 1957), American author of books and articles about computer programming
Kyle Eckel (b. 1981), American football fullback in the National Football League
Samuel Eckel, American politician, U.S. Consul in Talcahuano, 1851-53 5
Horst Eckel (1932-2021), German footballer who played in 214 matches, member of the West German team that won the 1954 FIFA World Cup

The Eckel 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: Se defendendo
Motto Translation: In his own defence.

Citations +

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)
"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, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html