Schal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Germany

Etymology of Schal

The Schal family name comes from the from Middle High German word "schal," which means "noise," or "bragging," and as such is was thought to have originally been a nickname for a braggart, or for a market crier. The German people originally used only one name, but as the population grew there was often confusion between people of the same name. This required people to adopt hereditary surnames. Many people took surnames based on nicknames - sometimes known as eke-names - that described certain personal characteristics.

Early Origins of the Schal family

Early History of the Schal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schal research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1387, 1592, 1666, 1745 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Schal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schal Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Schal include Schall, Schaal, Schal, Schaell, Schael, Schalle, Schaller, Schallin and many more.

Early Notables of the Schal family

• Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1592-1666), a Jesuit missionary, who traveled to China and introduced modern scientific techniques

Migration of the Schal family

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Schal were among of the early German families that came to North America: Simon Schaller, who came to Philadelphia in 1728; Carl Schallin, who came to Philadelphia in 1739; Johan Albrecht Schaller, who came to Philadelphia in 1737.