Show ContentsEvelin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Evelin is a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Evelin family lived in Surrey. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Ivelyn, in Calvados, Normandy. The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae noted Roger Ivelin, Normandy 1198. 1

Early Origins of the Evelin family

The surname Evelin was first found in Surrey where "the family, said to have come originally from Evelyn in Normandy, had settled in Shropshire and afterwards in Middlesex. " 2

From this verifiable source, we found Burke in his Burke's Landed Gentry who claimed derives it from a place in Shropshire "now called Evelyn, but formerly written Avelyn and Ivelyn." (Burke) However, this claim has met with disagreement as "the name of that place was formerly Evelyth, which has never been that of the family of Evelyn. " 1

Early History of the Evelin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Evelin research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1579, 1591, 1601, 1620, 1626, 1628, 1631, 1633, 1640, 1648, 1655, 1660, 1664, 1666, 1671, 1677, 1685, 1699, 1702, 1706 and 1818 are included under the topic Early Evelin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Evelin Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Evelin have been found, including Evelyn, Ivelyn, Aveling and others.

Early Notables of the Evelin family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir John Evelyn (1591-1664), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1628 and 1660, reluctant supporter of the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War; Sir John Evelyn (1601-1685), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Wilton (1626), Ludgershall (1640-1648), and 1660 and Stockbridge in 1660; John Evelyn FRS (1620-1706), an English writer, gardener and diarist, best known for...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Evelin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Evelin migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Evelin were among those contributors:

Evelin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mary Evelin, who arrived in Virginia in 1648 3

West Indies Evelin migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 4
Evelin Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Evelin, who settled in Barbados in 1671


The Evelin 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: Durete
Motto Translation: Hardness.


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. 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)
  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies


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