Show ContentsTeasdale History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Teasdale belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in the area known as Teesdale found in the counties of Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire. Teasdale is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages, as society became more complex, individuals needed a way to be distinguishable from others. Toponymic surnames were developed as a result of this need. Various features in the landscape were used to distinguish people from one another. In this case the original bearers of the surname Teasdale were named due to their close proximity to the river Tees, which flowed between Yorkshire and Durham.

Early Origins of the Teasdale family

The surname Teasdale was first found in Durham where Walter de Tesedale was listed 1235-1236. A few years later, Mariota de Tesdale was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Cumberland (Cumbria) in 1332 and later again, Thomas Tesdall was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1525. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included William tie Tesedal, Yorkshire. Henry de Tesdale was Prior of Finchale in 1295. The source History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham included Hugh de Tesedale, 1350 and later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Johannes de Tesedale. 2

Early History of the Teasdale family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Teasdale research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1547, 1556, 1563, 1570, 1579, 1581, 1610, 1613, 1646, 1669, 1706, 1711 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Teasdale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Teasdale Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Teasdale include Teasdale, Tisdale, Tisdell, Teesdale, Tisdall and others.

Early Notables of the Teasdale family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Thomas Tesdale, Teasdale or Tisdale (1547-1610), was an English 'co-founder of Pembroke College, Oxford,' born at Stanford Dingley, Berkshire, son of Thomas Tesdale (d. 1556), by his second wife, Joan...

Migration of the Teasdale family to Ireland

Some of the Teasdale family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 113 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Teasdale migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Teasdale were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Teasdale Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jo Teasdale, who settled in Georgia in 1733
  • John Teasdale, who landed in Georgia in 1743 3
  • John Teasdale, who settled in Maryland in 1774
Teasdale Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Teasdale, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1813 3
  • George Teasdale, who arrived in California in 1875 3
Teasdale Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Nicholas Teasdale, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1902 3

Teasdale migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Teasdale Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Teasdale, (Teasden), English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
  • William Teasdale, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Cygnet" in 1836 5
  • Mr. John Teasdale, Welsh convict who was convicted in Cardigan, Dyfed, Wales for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
  • Mr. Henry Teasdale, British convict who was convicted in Greater Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cornwall" on 28th February 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Teasdale (post 1700) +

  • William B. Teasdale, American politician, Member of Missouri State Senate 27th District, 1889-92
  • Thomas Teasdale Jr., American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Sussex County, 1818-19, 1822-23
  • Joseph P. Teasdale (b. 1936), American Democratic Party politician, Governor of Missouri, 1977-81
  • Henry S. Teasdale, American politician, Delegate to Florida State Constitutional Convention from Putnam County, 1865
  • Henry R. Teasdale, American politician, Mayor of Palatka, Florida, 1879, 1886-87
  • Wayne Teasdale (1945-2004), American Roman Catholic monk, teacher, and activist
  • Verree Teasdale (1903-1987), American radio and film actress
  • Joseph Patrick Teasdale (b. 1936), American Democratic Party politician and 48th Governor of Missouri (1977-1981)
  • Sara Teasdale, American lyrical poet
  • Keith Teasdale (b. 1954), English former cricketer
  • ... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Robert Dix Teasdale, British Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 8


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. 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)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Cygnet arrived Holdfast Bay, Adealide Sept. 11, 1836. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Cygnet.htm
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cornwall
  8. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html


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