Show ContentsSackville History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Sackville is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The Sackville family lived in Sussex. Their name, however, is a reference to Sauqueville, near the River Scie, in Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. [1]

Early Origins of the Sackville family

The surname Sackville was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Richard de Sachanuilla, de Sacheuilla was listed in Hertfordshire and Essex. [2]

However, Lower claims the family originated in "a place in Normandy, now called Sauqueville, near the river Scie, in the department of the Lower Seine, about seven miles from Dieppe. Collins says, that the family were lords of the town and seigniory 'long before the Conquest.' The name was variously written De Salchevilla, Salkavilla, Saccavilla, &c. According to genealogists, the first of the family in England was Herbrand de Salchevilla, who came in with the Conqueror, while his kinsman, Jourdain de Salchevilla, was Sewer of England under the same monarch. " [1]

And yet another source in an attempt to clear up this confusion, Reaney has the following entry: "Round's derivation of the Sackvilles, later dukes of Dorset, from Sauqueville (Seine-Inférieure) is accepted by Loyd. Their identification of the Essex Domesday Book under-tenant, of a different family, as coming from Secqueville-en-Bessin (Calvados) depends solely on the fact that the place is 11 kilometres from Ryes, the place of origin of Eudo Dapifer under whom he held. The early forms of Secqueville are Sicca Villa (1077), Secheville (1155), Secqueville (1217), which do not fit in with those of Sackville and probably survive as SETCHFIELD. Richard probably came, as suggested by Dupont, from Sacquenville (Eure), recorded as Sachenville (1195), Sakenvilla (c1210), Sackevilla (1220)." [3]

Later in Essex, Simon Sakeuilla was found in Colchester, Essex in 1154. [3] The Hndreodrum Rolls of 1273 include: John de Sakewyle, Surrey; and Jordan de Sakeville, Suffolk. [4]

The Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. lists Gwydo de Sakevill, Sussex, Henry III-Edward I; and Robert de Saccavill, Devon. [5]

Early History of the Sackville family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sackville research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1507, 1529, 1536, 1546, 1561, 1566, 1591, 1608, 1609, 1622, 1652 and 1677 are included under the topic Early Sackville History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sackville 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 Sackville, Sackvile and others.

Early Notables of the Sackville family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Sir Richard Sackville (ca. 1507-1566) of Ashburnham and Buckhurst in Sussex and Westenhanger in Kent, an English administrator and Member of Parliament
  • Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset (1536-1608), an English statesman, poet, dramatist
  • Robert Sackville, 2nd Earl of Dorset (1561-1609), an English aristocrat and politician
  • Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset KG (1591-1652), an English courtier, soldier and politician


United States Sackville migration to the United States +

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 Sackville or a variant listed above:

Sackville Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Sackville, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1805

Contemporary Notables of the name Sackville (post 1700) +

  • John Frederick Sackville (1745-1799), 3rd Duke of Dorset, English peer, only son of Lord John Philip Sackville, M.P
  • Charles Sackville (1711-1769), 2nd Duke of Dorset, English peer, baptised at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields
  • Thomas Sackville Tufton (1916-1986), 4th Baron Hothfield of Appleby Castle, English peer
  • Rupert Sackville Gwynne (1873-1924), British Conservative politician, Financial Secretary to the War Office (1923-1924)
  • John Sackville Labatt (1880-1952), president of the Labatt brewing company and a prominent kidnapping victim
  • Arthur Sackville Labatt OC (b. 1934), Canadian chancellor of the University of Western Ontario (2004-2008) and made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1996


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)


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