Fissell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Fissell

What does the name Fissell mean?

Fissell is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. 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 Fissell family

The surname Fissell 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 Fissell family

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

Fissell Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Veale, Veal, Viall, Vile, Viell and others.

Early Notables of the Fissell family

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

Migration of the Fissell family to Ireland

Some of the Fissell 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 Fissell family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Fissell 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..

Contemporary Notables of the name Fissell (post 1700) +

P. T. Fissell, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 12th District, 1893-94 2

Sources +

Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 30) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html