Eil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Eil

What does the name Eil mean?

The surname Eil is a German occupational surname that evolved in the region known as the Rhineland. Germans at first used only one name, but population growth and increased travel in medieval times caused confusion between people of the same name, forcing the people to adopt hereditary surnames. These names often identified people by the kind of work they did. Eil is a name for a brave warrior. The surname Eil originally derived from the German words "agil" which means "weapon," and "hard," which means "hard." A broad and miscellaneous class of names, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character.

Early Origins of the Eil family

The surname Eil was first found in the Lower Rhine region, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Eil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eil research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Eil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eil Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Eil include Eiler, Eil, Eill, Eyler, Eyll, Eiller, Eyller and others.

Early Notables of the Eil family

More information is included under the topic Early Eil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Eil family

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from the Rhineland who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. Many of those who left the Rhineland to seek their fortunes in the prosperous and free New World settled in the major urban centers of the United States and Canada. In the United States, the settlers from the Rhineland passed through immigration centers like that of Ellis Island, most of them moving on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, the majority of Rhinelanders settled in Ontario and the prairie provinces. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many important settlers to North America bearing the name Eil, or one of its variants above: Johann Goerg Eyler, who came to Philadelphia in 1737; Johann Eyler emigrated with his wife and seven children to America in 1709; Adam Eyler arrived in Philadelphia in 1741.