Contents [hide]

Sell History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Australia New Zealand West Indies South Africa

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Sources

Sell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Etymology of Sell

What does the name Sell mean?

The Sell name is an important part of the history of the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Sell is derived from the baptismal name Silvester or Silvanus. During the middle Ages this personal name was quite popular, as it was borne by three popes. In the religious naming tradition surnames were bestowed in honor of religious figures or church officials. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint.

Early Origins of the Sell family

The surname Sell was first found in Northamptonshire where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Sell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sell research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1637 is included under the topic Early Sell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sell Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Sell were recorded, including Sill, Sille, Sills, Silles, Sell, Selle, Sells and many more.

Early Notables of the Sell family

More information is included under the topic Early Sell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sell Ranking

In the United States, the name Sell is the 3,567^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Sell migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Sell family emigrate to North America:

Sell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Sell, aged 18, who arrived in Bermuda, (Somers Islands) in 1635 aboard the ship "Truelove" 2
John Sell, who landed in Virginia in 1656 2
Martin Sell, who settled in Germantown in 1694
Martin Sell, who settled in Germantown Pennsylvania in 1694

Sell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Charles, Felix, Jacob, John, Nickolas, and Peter Sell, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1740 and 1880
Johann Nikolaus Sell, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1740 2
Nickolas Sell, aged 42, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740 2
Peter Sell, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740 2
Jacob Sell, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Jos Sell, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 2
Friedrich Christian Sell, aged 22, who landed in America in 1843 2
Johann Sell, aged 43, who landed in America in 1843 2
Carl Sell, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 2
W Sell, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sell Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Johann Sell, aged 43, farmer from Prussia who arrived in Quebec in 1868 aboard the ship "Leibig"
Mrs. Welelman Sell, aged 39, German settler who landed in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Leibig" in 1868
Miss Augustine Sell, aged 13, German settler who landed in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Leibig" in 1868
Miss Welhelmin Sell, aged 11, German settler who landed in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Leibig" in 1868
Miss Emilie Sell, aged 9, German settler who landed in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Leibig" in 1868
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sell migration to Australia +

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

Sell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Sell, (b. 1802), aged 28, English ploughman who was convicted in Essex, England for 7 years for poaching, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1868 he may have returned to the UK 3
Mr. Nehemiah Sell, English convict who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "China" on 162nd January 1846, arriving in Norfolk Island, Australia 4
Daniel Sell, aged 23, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Standard" 5
John Sell, aged 33, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Nugget" 6
David Sell, aged 31, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Pestonjee Bomanjee" 7

Sell 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:

Sell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Sarah Sell, aged 25, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
Mary Ann Sell, aged 5, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
Mr. Thomas Sell, (b. 1833), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mary Anne" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th August 1859 8

Sell 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. 9

Sell Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. John Sell, (b. 1620), aged 15, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Sell (post 1700) +

Mary Elizabeth Sell, American New York City Ballet dancer
Edward B. Sell (d. 2014), American martial arts instructor, and the highest ranking non-Korean practitioner of tae kwon do
Friedrich Leopold Sell (b. 1954), German professor of Economics at Bundeswehr University Munich
W Edard Sell (b. 1923), American professor and lawyer, Dean of Law at the University of Pittsburgh and later become a member of the legal staff of the U.S. Steel Company
John Sell Cotman (1782-1842), English landscape water colourist, son of a prosperous silk mercer and dealer in foreign lace at Norwich, whose place of business was in London Lane of that town 11

Historic Events for the Sell family +

USS Indianapolis

Ernest Frederick Sell, 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 12

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 5th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/china
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STANDARD 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/standard1852.shtml
South Australian Register Tuesday 4th July 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nugget 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/nugget1854.shtml
South Australian Register Wednesday 15th March 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Pestonjee Bomanjee 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/hyderabad1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew