Show ContentsMyl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Myl family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived at or near a mill having derived from the Old English word mylen, which meant mill. [1] [2]

Early Origins of the Myl family

The surname Myl was first found in Hampshire. However, one branch of the family was found at Barford in Warwickshire since early times. " Under the chancel [in the church of Barford] is a vault for the family of Mills, to members of whom are five urns on pedestals in the chancel wall." [3]

"This name is mostly confined to the southern half of England. Its chief homes are in Essex, Kent, Sussex, Hants, and Warwickshire. It is rare or infrequent in the south - west of England, where, in Cornwall and Devon, its place is to some extent supplied by Mill." [4]

Some of the first records of the family include: Margery Mylys who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1273; [5] and John Myls was listed in London in 1336. [6]

Early History of the Myl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Myl research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1593, 1604, 1621, 1645, 1659, 1660, 1676, 1683, 1695, 1707, 1736, 1776, 1788, 1804, 1809, 1811, 1817, 1826, 1833 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Myl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Myl Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Mills, Mylles, Meiles and others.

Early Notables of the Myl family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • John Myles, English politician, Member of Parliament for Coventry in 1593; John Mylles (c. 1604-1676), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Oxford University in 1659 and 1660; John Myles (M...

Ireland Migration of the Myl family to Ireland

Some of the Myl family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Myl family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Myl or a variant listed above were: Cornelius Mill settled in Virginia in 1652; along with Edward in 1654; James in 1741; John in 1637; Lewis in 1642; Mary in 1704; Thomas in 1635; William in 1663. They also settled in Barbados, Philadelphia, Charletown.



The Myl Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Honor virtutis pretium
Motto Translation: Honour is the reward of virtue.


  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. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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