Askel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

Etymology of Askel

What does the name Askel mean?

The Askel name came to Britain with the Normans. It derives from any of a number of Scandinavian personal names, including the Old Norse name Askell, the Old Danish name Eskil, and the Old Swedish name Æskil, a contracted form of Asketill. Some of the forms found in Normandy, France included Anschetill, Anketill, Asketin and Anquetin.

Early Origins of the Askel family

The surname Askel was first found in Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy), where the family held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Askel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Askel research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Askel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Askel Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Askel have included Haskell, Haskel, Askell, Askel, Askill, Askil, Hascall, Hascal, Haskill and many more.

Early Notables of the Askel family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Haskell of Monmouth

Askel migration to the United States +

The Welsh began to emigrate to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s in search of land, work, and freedom. Those that arrived helped shape the industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. The records regarding immigration and passenger show a number of people bearing the name Askel:

Askel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Askel, aged 18, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1775 1

Citations +

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)