Marshall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Marshall

What does the name Marshall mean?

The name Marshall arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a blacksmith or a person who tended horses deriving its origin from the Old English word marshal, which meant blacksmith. In medieval England, blacksmiths were extremely important because they were employed by the nobility to look after the horses. 1

John Marshal (d. 1164?), the English warrior, was "son and heir of Gilbert Marshal, who was unsuccessfully impleaded with him in the court of Henry I by Robert de Venoiz and William de Hastings for the office of master of the king's marshalsea (Rot. Chart. p. 46), from which the family took its name. In the 'Pipe Roll' of 1130 he is found paying for succession to his father's lands and office (p. 18) and in possession of an estate in Wiltshire (p. 23). In 1138 he fortified Marlborough and Ludgershall (Ann. Wint.), probably as one of the rebels of that year, for Stephen was besieging him in Marlborough when the empress landed, in 1139 (Cont. Flor. Wig. p. 117). In 1140 he was approached by Robert FitzHubert, who had seized Devizes Castle, and who hoped to secure Marlborough; but John, overreaching him, made him his prisoner, and then sold him to the Earl of Gloucester." 2

William Marshal first Earl of Pembroke and Striguil of the Marshal line (d. 1219), "Regent of England, was second son of John Marshal (d. 1164?) [q. v.], by his second wife, Sibyl, sister of Patrick, earl of Salisbury. He is represented as describing himself as over eighty years of age in 1216, but his father and mother were not married till 1141, and 1146 is a more likely date for his birth. When Stephen besieged John Marshal at Newbury in 1152, the young William was given as hostage for a truce and the surrender of the castle. John Marshal refused to keep the terms, and his son's life would have been sacrificed had not Stephen, attracted by the child's bold spirit and pretty ways, protected him." 2

Early Origins of the Marshall family

The surname Marshall was first found in various counties in England including Cambridgeshire, Somerset and Oxfordshire where William le Marechal, Gunnilda le Marescall and Robert Marescallus were all recorded respectively in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists Willelmus de Scheplay, marciall, and Johannes Mareschall. 3

"Distributed over England, its great home being in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, whilst there are less important homes in Northumberland in the north and in Somerset in the south. The name is of foreign origin. It was originally "Marechal," or "Mare - schalks," the old name for a horse - groom or farrier, in which sense it is still used in France. The post became dignified. The name has extended from the north of England into central and southern Scotland." 4

Early History of the Marshall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Marshall research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1084, 1170, 1235, 1535, 1540, 1554, 1578, 1594, 1621, 1626, 1628, 1629, 1631, 1632, 1637, 1644, 1654, 1655, 1662, 1664, 1670, 1672, 1675, 1678, 1680, 1685, 1698 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Marshall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marshall 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 Marshall, Marshal, Marescal, Marshale and others.

Early Notables of the Marshall family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

William Marshall (died c. 1540), an English Protestant reformer, printer, and translator, one of Thomas Cromwell's confidential agents in 1535
Stephen Marshall (c.1594-1655), an English Nonconformist churchman
Thomas Marshall (1621-1685), an English churchman and linguist, Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford (1672-1685) and Dean of Gloucester
Walter Marshall (1628-1680), an English, non-conformist Puritan pastor and author best known for his book on the Gospel Mystery of Sanctification

Marshall World Ranking

In the United States, the name Marshall is the 119^th most popular surname with an estimated 186,525 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Marshall is ranked the 118^th most popular surname with an estimated 25,682 people with that name. 6 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Marshall is the 213^rd popular surname with an estimated 201 people with that name. 7 Australia ranks Marshall as 71^st with 32,900 people. 8 New Zealand ranks Marshall as 53^rd with 5,263 people. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Marshall as 62^nd with 71,607 people. 10

Migration of the Marshall family to Ireland

Some of the Marshall family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 102 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marshall 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 Marshall or a variant listed above:

Marshall Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Marshall, who arrived in Virginia in 1616 aboard the ship "George" 11
Mrs. Ann Marshall, who arrived in Virginia in 11616 aboard the ship "George" 11
Henry Marshall, who landed in America in 1620 12
Edward Marshall, aged 26, who arrived in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "Abigaile"
Charle Marshall, who arrived in Virginia in 1623
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marshall Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Josias Marshall, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 12
Angell Marshall, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 12
Abraham Marshall, who landed in Virginia in 1709 12
Angilo Marshall, who landed in Virginia in 1719 12
Isaiah Marshall, who arrived in Maryland or Virginia in 1730 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marshall Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Betty Marshall, aged 19, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1805 12
Joseph Marshall, who arrived in Ohio in 1812 12
Elizabeth Marshall, aged 39, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1813 12
Gilbert Marshall, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1818 12
Andrew Marshall, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1826 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marshall Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. George Marshall, (b. 1868), aged 32, Cornish slater travelling aboard the ship "Lucania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 5th March 1900 en route to Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, USA 13
Mrs. Jane Marshall, (b. 1853), aged 47, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Lucania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 5th March 1900 en route to Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, USA 13
Mr. Frank Marshall, (b. 1872), aged 31, Cornish carpenter travelling aboard the ship "Ivernia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 17th March 1903 en route to St Louis, Illinois, USA 13
Mr. John E. Marshall, (b. 1846), aged 58, Cornish slater, from Camelford, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th February 1904 en route to Bangor, Pennsylvania, USA 13
Mrs. Martha Marshall, (b. 1849), aged 56, Cornish settler, from St Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Lucania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Indianapolis, Indiana, USA 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marshall migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Marshall Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

John Marshall, who was on record in Keels, Newfoundland in 1681 14
Henry Marshall, who was a boat keeper in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1681 14

Marshall Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Josiah Marshall, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Lascelles Marshall, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
George Marshall, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
Jane Marshall, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Charles Marshall, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marshall Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Marshall migrated from Clackmannan to Toronto in 1832
Mary, Robert and Thomas Marshall, who all, who sailed to Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834
Mary, Robert, and Thomas Marshall and Joseph Marshale, who all, who sailed to Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834
Robert Marshall, aged 26, a farmer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the barque "New Brunswick" from Liverpool, England
Mary Marshall, aged 22, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the barque "New Brunswick" from Liverpool, England
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marshall migration to Australia +

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

Marshall Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Marshall, British Convict who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. George Marshall, British convict who was convicted in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
Mr. George Marshall, English convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
Mr. James Marshall, (b. 1771), aged 36, English carpenter who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years , transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1837 17
Mr. William Marshall, (Massiter), English convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marshall migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Marshall Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

E Marshall, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1830
David Watt Marshall, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Mrs R A Marshall, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship London
S Marshall, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
W Marshall, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marshall migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19

Marshall Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Francis Marshall, (b. 1609), aged 26, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 20
Miss Jane Marshall, (b. 1614), aged 21, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 20
Mr. Richard Marshall, (b. 1599), aged 36, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 20

Contemporary Notables of the name Marshall (post 1700) +

Barry Marshall (b. 1951), Australian physician and Nobel Prize winner famous for his research into stomach ulcers
Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993), American jurist, first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Garry Marshall (1934-2016), born Garry Kent Masciarelli, an American actor, director, writer, producer and creator of the television shows Happy Days and The Odd Couple, inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1997
Peter Marshall (1926-2024), born Ralph Pierre LaCock, an American game show host, television, radio personality, singer, and actor, original host of The Hollywood Squares from 1966 to 1981 and has almost fifty television, movie, and Broadway credits
John Thomas "Tom" Marshall (1931-2024), American basketball player and coach from Coldwater, Tennessee
Robert I. Marshall (1946-2024), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Delaware State Senate 3rd District; Elected 1998 21
Frederick J. Marshall (1951-2023), American jurist, Justice of the New York State Supreme Court (2000-2022)
John Marshall (1945-2021), American football coach and defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders from 2009–2010
Michael Grant "Iron Mike" Marshall (1943-2021), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1967 to 1981, winner of the National League Cy Young Award in 1974 and was a two time All-Star selection
Tonie Marshall (1951-2020), French-born, American actress, screenwriter, and film director
... (Another 284 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Marshall family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. George Norman Marshall (1863-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22
Mr. William Marshall (1869-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22
Mrs. Annie Marshall (1872-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22
Mr. William Marshall (1904-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22

HMS Cornwall

Anthony Reginald Marshall, British Lieutenant aboard the HMS Cornwall (1942) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 23

HMS Dorsetshire

William Charles Start Marshall (d. 1945), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 24

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Leslie Marshall, British Engine Room Artificer 4th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 25
Mr. George Marshall, British Stoker 2nd Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 25
Mr. Geoffrey G Marshall, British Ordnance, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 25

HMS Repulse

Mr. Robert Marshall, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 26
Mr. John William Marshall, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking, was killed in action 26
Mr. Edward T Marshall, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 26
Mr. Ernest Marshall (b. 1921), English Ordinary Seaman from Norwich, England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 26

HMS Royal Oak

Frederick Marshall (1921-1939), British Boy 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 27

Prince of Wales colliery

Mr. William Marshall (b. 1846), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 28

RMS Lusitania

Mr. James Marshall, English First Waiter from Waterloo, Lancashire, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 29
Mrs. Fannie E. Marshall, Canadian 3rd Class passenger from Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 30

SS Caribou

Mr. Albert Walter Marshall (b. 1920), British passenger who was Royal Navy from Victoria, British Columbia was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, he died in the sinking

USS Arizona

Mr. Thomas Donald Marshall, American Seaman Second Class from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 31

USS Indianapolis

John Lucas Marshall, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 32
Robert Wallace Marshall, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 32

Vimy Ridge

George William Marshall (1896-1916), Canadian harness maker, Private in the 44th Battalion from Manitoba who died at Vimy Ridge December 1916
Thomas Robinson Marshall (1898-1917), Canadian sheet metal worker, Private in the 44th Battalion from Manitoba who died at Vimy Ridge June 1917

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
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew