Fisell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

When the ancestors of the Fisell family arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, they brought their name with them. It is a name for a calf-heard which was in turn derived from the Old French word veel, meaning calf.

Early Origins of the Fisell family

The surname Fisell was first found in Gloucestershire where two knights by the name De Vile were honored in the Honour Roll of Battle Abbey in 1066 and were granted lands in that shire.

In later years, to the far south in Cornwall another branch of the family was found. "Trevayler, in [the parish of Gulval], is the property and residence of the Rev. William Veale, in whose family it has long been vested. This gentleman has considerable property in Gulval." 1

Early History of the Fisell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fisell research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fisell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fisell Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Veale, Veal, Viall, Vile, Viell and others.

Early Notables of the Fisell family

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

Migration of the Fisell family to Ireland

Some of the Fisell 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 Fisell family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Fisell or a variant listed above: James and Ann Veal settled in Portland, Me, in 1820; with Margaret, John; Jane Veale settled in Virginia in 1636; Christopher Veale settled in Virginia in 1663..