Negal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Negal

What does the name Negal mean?

Negal is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname that came from the Old English personal name Angel, which is derived from the Latin Angelus and the Greek Angelos, which means a messenger. The personal name also appeared in the feminine forms of Angela and Angelina. 1

The name is denoted for "one who acted as a religious messenger or as a messenger from God; a nickname for an angelic person; descendant of Angel, a man's name in England." 2

Early Origins of the Negal family

The surname Negal was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very early times, some say before the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William in 1066 A.D. It is likely that this name originated in one of the conquering families of Angles who settled in Lancashire after the conquest of the Strathclyde Britons. The name was written in early records as Anglicus, but the name was carried from England to France as D'Anglars.

Early History of the Negal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Negal research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1610, 1618, 1636, 1655 and 1694 are included under the topic Early Negal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Negal Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Negal has been recorded under many different variations, including Angell, Angel, Angle, Anegall, Anegal, Anegoll and others.

Early Notables of the Negal family

John Angel (fl. 1555), Chaplain to King Philip and Queen Mary, is said to have been a 'person of singular zeal and learning.' John Angel or Angell (d. 1655), was 'a Gloucestershire man,' born towards the end of the sixteenth century. "He was admitted to Magdalen Hall, Oxford in 1610 and was ordained in holy orders; at a bound became a frequent and...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Negal Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Negal family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Negal or a variant listed above: John Angell of England who settled in Rhode Island in 1631. In Newfoundland, Samuel Angell who settled in Petty Harbourin 1725; Samuel Angel was a fisherman of St. John'.

The Negal 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: Stare super vias antiquas
Motto Translation: I stand in the track of my ancestors.

Sources +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print