Fishel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Israel
Ireland
Scotland

The name Fishel is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was originally a name for someone who worked as a someone who worked with fish. As one would expect, it is derived from the Old English word fisc, which meant fish. 1

The name is both a forename and surname as "Fisc occurs as a personal name in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 3

In Normandy where some of the family originated, the family was known by Piscis. And there we found the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listing Osmond de Piscis or Pisce, William and John, occuring in Normandy, 1180-1195. This spelling prevailed in some cases as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed William de Piscis in England at that time. "The name was afterwards translated." 4

Early Origins of the Fishel family

The surname Fishel was first found in Lincolnshire where Ernis Fish was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1202. A few years later, Daniel Fisc was listed in Suffolk in 1208 and Robert Fisk was listed in Nottingham in 1230. Robert le Fysch was listed in 1297. 3

Up in Scotland, "William Fysch appears as burgess of Edinbergh in 1423, and Gilbert Fysche recorded as burgess there in 1483 had a charter of part of the lands of Estir halys in the regality of Mussilburgh in the same year." 5

Early History of the Fishel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fishel research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1483, 1525, 1531, 1614, 1621, 1658 and 1669 are included under the topic Early Fishel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fishel 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 Fishel 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. The variations of the name Fishel include Fish, Fishe and others.

Early Notables of the Fishel family

Distinguished members of the family include Simon Fish (died 1531), a 16th century Protestant reformer and English propagandist, best known for helping to spread William Tyndale’s New Testament. He was a "member of the University of Oxford, and entered Gray's Inn about 1525...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fishel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fishel Ranking

In the United States, the name Fishel is the 12,426^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Fishel family to Ireland

Some of the Fishel family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fishel 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 Fishel or a variant listed above:

Fishel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Fishel, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1761 7
Adam Fishel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 7

Fishel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Fishel, aged 40, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1868 7

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
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)