| ![Show Contents]() File History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of FileWhat does the name File mean? File is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name File is for a calf-heard which was in turn derived from the Old French word veel, meaning calf. Early Origins of the File familyThe surname File was first found in Gloucestershire where two knights by the name De Vile were honored in the Honour Roll of Battle Abbey in 1066 and were granted lands in that shire. In later years, to the far south in Cornwall another branch of the family was found. "Trevayler, in [the parish of Gulval], is the property and residence of the Rev. William Veale, in whose family it has long been vested. This gentleman has considerable property in Gulval." 1 Early History of the File familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our File research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early File History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. File Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Veale, Veal, Viall, Vile, Viell and others. Early Notables of the File familyMore information is included under the topic Early File Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the File family to IrelandSome of the File 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.
| File migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name File or a variant listed above:
File Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- George File, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 2
- John File, who arrived in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1845 2
| File migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: File Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Mr. John File U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 3
- Mr. John File U.E., "Melchior" who settled in Canada c. 1784 3
- Cpl. John File U.E. who settled in Eastern District, Williamsburg, [South Dundas], Ontario, Upper Canada c. 1786 he served in the Royal Yorkers 3
| File 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: File Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- William File, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Andrew Jackson" in 1865
| Historic Events for the File family | + |
- Mr. Osmond File, British Ex 2nd Officer from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 4
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
- 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)
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
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