Varnell History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEtymology of VarnellWhat does the name Varnell mean? The name Varnell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived by a fern-covered hill. The name is both a surname and a place-name, and is derived from the Old English elements fearn, for fern, and hyll, the word for hill. 1 Alternatively, another source notes that the surname denotes a "dweller at the Fern Slope or Corner [Old English fearn + heal(h)] for Farnhill." 2 Early Origins of the Varnell familyThe surname Varnell was first found in East Cheshire at Fernhill, or at Farnhill in West Riding of Yorkshire or at Farnell Wood in Kent. Some of the first records of the name include: Richard de Farenhull in 1214; William de Fernhulle in 1263 and Hugh de la Fernhull in 1275; John de Farnhull, listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273; and William atte Farnhulle in 1298. 1 In Scotland, the name was derived from "the lands of Famell in Angus. Between 1214 and 1246 Duncan de Ferneuel witnessed charters by Malcolm, earl of Angus, and a charter of land in the territory of Kerimor to Arbroath Abbey. Meg Fernwale is recorded in Aberdeen, 1408." 3 Early History of the Varnell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Varnell research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1246 and 1379 are included under the topic Early Varnell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Varnell Spelling VariationsSound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Varnell family name include Farnell, Farnel, Farnall, Farnyll, Farnill and many more. Early Notables of the Varnell familyMore information is included under the topic Early Varnell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Varnell RankingIn the United States, the name Varnell is the 10,965th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4
For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Varnell surname or a spelling variation of the name include : Varnell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Varnell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
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