Warnell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Warnell is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname that came from Warnier, a Germanic personal name. It is composed of two elements: warin, which means guard; and hari, which means soldier. Alternatively, the name could have been "an ancient baptismal name, written in Domesday Warnerus and Warnerius." 1

Early Origins of the Warnell family

The surname Warnell was first found in Leicestershire where they were recorded in the Domesday Book compiled in 1086 as Warnerus and Warnerius. 1

Warner or Garnier (fl. 1106), was a writer of homilies and a monk of Westminster. "He is called 'homeliarius,' and dedicated a volume of homilies to his abbot, Gilbert Crispin. " 2

Warnerus de Lusoriis was listed in Oxfordshire in 1140 and a few years later, Warnerus de Campania was listed c. 1160 in London. Robert Warnier was listed the in the Pipe Rolls of Dorset in 1196. 3

Years later, Richard le Warner was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 4

Early History of the Warnell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Warnell research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1511, 1519, 1558, 1565, 1580, 1581, 1609, 1624, 1628, 1637, 1638, 1642, 1649, 1659, 1666, 1667, 1670, 1676, 1677, 1681, 1692 and 1813 are included under the topic Early Warnell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Warnell Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Warnell has been recorded under many different variations, including Warner, Warnar, Warnere and others.

Early Notables of the Warnell family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Edward Warner (1511-1565), Lieutenant of the Tower, the elder son of Henry Warner (d. 1519) of Besthorpe, Norfolk; William Warner (c. 1558-1609) English poet; Sir Thomas Warner (1580-1649), English explorer, famous for settling on Saint Kitts, the first English colony in 1624; John Warner (1581-1666), an English Royalist churchman, Bishop...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Warnell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Warnell family to Ireland

Some of the Warnell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Warnell family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Warnell or a variant listed above: Andrew Warner settled in Nantasket Massachusetts in 1631; Cyprian Warner settled in Virginia in 1635; Henry Warner settled in Virginia in 1636; Joe Warner settled in New England in 1635.

The Warnell 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: Non nobis tantum nati
Motto Translation: We are not born for ourselves alone.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print