Show ContentsVeil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Veil was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Veil family lived in Northumberland. Their name, however, is a reference to La Val, in the lower Marne valley of Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Checking further we found the name was derived from the Old French word val, meaning valley.

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listed Roger de la Vale in Normandy in 1180. 1

Early Origins of the Veil family

The surname Veil was first found in Northumberland where they were granted land by William the Conqueror. The family were originally known as Delaval and took their name from the Castle of La Val in the lower Marne valley in Normandy.

Some of the first records of the family were found north, in Scotland. "About 1190 Gilbert de la Val witnessed a charter by William de Hauekeristone of certain lands in the territory of Innerwick to the Abbey of Kelso. " 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Eustace del Val and Hugh de la Val as holding lands in Northumberland at that time. 3

Early History of the Veil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Veil research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1364, 1578, 1582, 1583, 1604 and 1655 are included under the topic Early Veil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Veil Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Vale, Vail, Veil, Fale, Fail and others.

Early Notables of the Veil family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Veil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Veil family to Ireland

Some of the Veil family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Veil migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Veil or a variant listed above:

Veil Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joh Veil, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 4
  • Mr. N. Veil, aged 16, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Belgenland" 5

Canada Veil migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Veil Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • David Veil, who settled in the Bay of Bulls Newfoundland in 1804 6

Australia Veil migration to Australia +

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

Veil Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Sarah Veil, (b. 1816), aged 32, Cornish cook travelling aboard the ship "Cheapside" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 18th August 1848 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Veil (post 1700) +

  • Hans-Jürgen Veil (b. 1946), German former wrestler who competed in the 1972 and the 1976 Summer Olympics
  • Simone Veil DBE (1927-2017), French lawyer and politician, President of the European Parliament (1979–1982), Minister of Health (1974–1979, 1993–1995), and Holocaust survivor


The Veil Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: In te domine speravi
Motto Translation: In thee, O Lord, I have placed my hope.


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. 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)
  5. Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2110
  6. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  7. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf


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