Show ContentsHysell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

  • Origins Available:
  • England
Hysell Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Hysell

What does the name Hysell mean?

The name Hysell came to England with the ancestors of the Hysell family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Hysell family lived in Devon. This name however, is a topographical reference indicating that the original bearer lived in close proximity to a hazel tree or grove. 1

Early Origins of the Hysell family

The surname Hysell was first found in Devon at Halsewell. This parish "was possessed by the family surnamed from it De Halsewell, almost from the period of the Conquest, and it still belongs to their descendant, Colonel Kemeys-Tynte, whose ancestor married the heiress in the XVII. century." 2 They were descended from Halsewell or De Halsewell from Normandy. 3

In turn, the name evolved into the shortened forms including Hazel, Hazell, Hasel, Hasell, Haisell and others and spread throughout ancient Britain. By example, Alured del Hesel was listed in Worcester c. 1182, Gamel Hesel listed in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1203, and Hugh de Hesill in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1204. 4

Early History of the Hysell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hysell research. Another 213 words (15 lines of text) covering the year 1628 is included under the topic Early Hysell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hysell Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Halsewell, Halswell, Harsewell, Harswell, Hazel, Hazell, Hassal, Hassel, Hassall and many more.

Early Notables of the Hysell family

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

Hysell Ranking

the United States, the name Hysell is the 9,439th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Hysell family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Hysell or a variant listed above: John Hassall who settled in Virginia in 1653; William Hassell settled in Virginia in 1635; Ralph and Benjamin Hassell settled in Barbados in 1680 with their servants.

Contemporary Notables of the name Hysell (post 1700) +

  • Nial R. Hysell (1854-1921), American politician from Pomeroy, Ohio, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1890 to 1892
  • Cliff Hysell (1942-2014), American football player and head football coach at Montana State University from 1992 to 1999
  • Hugh Hysell, American actor and producer, known for The Blacklist (2013), Divorce (2016) and Big Break (2019)
  • Chad Hysell, American artist, known for Nation's Fire (2019), Bright Lights, Dark Shadows (2018) and Thumbs
  • Matthew Hysell, American director, known for Marin Blue (2009), Raising Victor Vargas (2002) and Nothing Really Happens: Memories of Aging Strippers (2003)
  • Ted Hysell, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 1964 6
  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. 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)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

Houseofnames.com on Facebook