| ![Show Contents]() Ezzell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancient surname Ezzell came from The surname Ezzell is a patronymic surname, that is, derived from an ancestor's given name. Patronymic surnames belong to the category of hereditary surnames, and they arose out of the vernacular and religious given name traditions. The vernacular or regional naming tradition is the oldest and most pervasive type of patronymic surname. According to this custom, names were originally composed of vocabulary elements from the local language. Vernacular names that were derived from ancient Germanic personal names have cognates in most European languages. For example, the court of Charlemagne (742-814) was Christian and Latin-speaking, but the Frankish dialect of Old German was commonly used for personal names. Vernacular names were widespread throughout Normandy. Accordingly, many typical English and French names are in fact, originally of Germanic origin and often have cognates in other European countries. In this case, family tradition has it that the name is derived from the name Isolde, the wife of Tristram, nephew of the King of Cornwall, of the great Arthurian legends. According to the family tradition, Tristram escaped to Brittany, where he married Isolde, daughter of the Duke of Brittany. Their tragic love affair became the subject of the opera Tristan and Isolde by Wagner. On the other hand, it seems more likely that the name is derived from the Old German word ishild, which meant ice battle. Early Origins of the Ezzell familyThe surname Ezzell was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat from ancient times, being granted lands in that shire soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Traditionally, the family was descended from Isolde, daughter of the Duke of Brittany in the fifth century who later became the wife of Tristram, of the great Arthurian legends, nephew of the King of Cornwall. Tristram escaped to Brittany and their tragic love affair became the subject of an opera by Wagner. Early History of the Ezzell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ezzell research. Another 172 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1569, 1577, 1599, 1645, 1695 and 1785 are included under the topic Early Ezzell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ezzell Spelling VariationsSince the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules, Breton surnames have many spelling variations. Latin and French, which were the official court languages, were also influential on the spelling of surnames. The spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. Therefore, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England after the Norman Conquest, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. The name has been spelled Izzat, Izat, Izatt, Issard, Isoed, Izzatt, Izzard, Izod, Essarts, Isett and many more. Early Notables of the Ezzell familyMore information is included under the topic Early Ezzell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ezzell RankingIn the United States, the name Ezzell is the 9,707th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1  Migration of the Ezzell family to Ireland
Some of the Ezzell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Ezzell familyEarly immigration records have shown some of the first of the name Ezzell to arrive on North American shores were: Ralph Izard of London, England, who settled in Charleston, South Carolina in 1682; Abraham and Ann Izard, who settled in Virginia in 1756; as well as John Izard, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1820..
| Contemporary Notables of the name Ezzell (post 1700) | + |
- Homer Estell Ezzell (1896-1976), American third baseman in Major League Baseball
- Mark Ezzell, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 2008 2
- John T. Ezzell, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Alabama, 1900 2
- Earl Ezzell, American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives from Union County, 1921-22 2
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England
Ireland
