Schobel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Cornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Schobel. A revival of the Cornish language which began in the 9th century AD has begun. No doubt this was the language spoken by distant forebears of the Schobel family. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames. The name Schobel is a local type of surname and the Schobel family lived in Cornwall. Their name however, is derived from the village of Scoville, Normandy, where the family lived before arriving with the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

Early Origins of the Schobel family

The surname Schobel was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of St. Austell and also having branches at Mavaggissey, Polrudden, Tregonnan and Menagwins. Another reference claims this name in old Cornish language signifies broom-plant. "The family have flourished for a long series of generations, in knightly and gentle degree, in that part of England." 1 The first one record was Thomas de Scobbahull, Sheriff of Devon in 1291. 2

"Although Menagwins [Cornwall] exhibits at present no other dwelling than a farm-house, it still retains several memorials of departed grandeur that were the companions of its former fame. In the days of Charles I. it was the seat of Richard Scobell, who was afterwards clerk of the parliament under Oliver Cromwell. About a century ago it was the habitation of Francis Scobell, Esq. who married one of the co-heiresses of Sir John Tredinham, knight." 3

Early History of the Schobel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schobel research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1291, 1610, 1648 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Schobel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schobel Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Scobell, Scobel, Schobell, Schobel, Scobahull, Scobbahull, Scobhull, Scobhill, Scoble, Scobal and many more.

Early Notables of the Schobel family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Scobbahull, Sheriff of Devon; and Henry Scobell (c. 1610-1660), an English Parliamentary official, and clerk to the Long Parliament. "He is said to have been born at Menagwin in St. Austell, Cornwall, and to have owned...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Schobel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schobel migration to the United States +

An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Schobel or a variant listed above:

Schobel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Carl Schobel, aged 11, who arrived in New York, NY in 1852 4
Hermann Schobel, aged 27, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1893 4

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)