Show ContentsYule History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Yule

What does the name Yule mean?

The name Yule is traditionally believed to be assigned to "children born on Christmas Day." 1 2 3 4 5

However, the noted author George Black is uncomfortable with this as he notes: " [it] does not satisfy me, but I am at present unable to offer a satisfactory interpretation in place of it. 'It is pretended that the Yuilles are descended of a son of Drumikills, born upon Yuilday. This pretension is adhered to by some of the name of Yuille, by others not.' " 1

Looking back further, we found that in Sethian Gnosticism, Youel or Yoel is an angel who is described as a male virgin who gives five revelations to protagonists Zostrianos and Allogenes during their visionary ascents to heaven.

Early Origins of the Yule family

The surname Yule was first found in on the Isle of Yell, in the Shetlands, but the name quickly scattered throughout due to its etymology. "Johannes Yhole was burgess of Haddington in 1374. Johannes Yhole was chaplain in Aberdeen in 1391, and Simon Youle executed a charter of sale in the same city in 1399. John Yhule one of the 'appretiatores camium' in Aberdeen in 1398 appears in 1400 and 1401 as bailie and burgess of the same city." 1

In northern England, the following passage appeared in the "curious old dictionary of Blount, called Glassographia: 'In Yorkshire and our other northern parts, they have an old custome after sermon or service on Christmas day; the people will, even in churches, cry Ule, Ule as a token of rejoicing, and the common sort run about the streets singing: 'Ule, Ule, Ule; Three puddings in a pule; Crack nuts and cry Ule.'" 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include an entry for Robertus Youle as holding lands there at that time. 2

Early History of the Yule family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Yule research. Another 303 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1430, 1451, 1494, 1503, 1516, 1525, 1550, 1551, 1553, 1577, 1578, 1595, 1608, 1612, 1641, 1655, 1659, 1686, 1711, 1816, 1820 and 1889 are included under the topic Early Yule History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Yule Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Yell, Yul, Yuel, Yule, Youll, Yuile, Yuill, Yulle and others.

Early Notables of the Yule family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Henry Youll (fl. 1608), English musician who seems to have been a household musician in the family of one Edward Bacon, and teacher of his four sons, about the beginning of...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Yule Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Yule migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Yule Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Yule, who settled in America sometime between 1770 and 1825
Yule Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J Yule, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6

Yule migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Yule Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Alexander Yule, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1784
  • Peter Yule, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1786
Yule Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Yule, who settled in Quebec in 1820
  • William Yule, who arrived in Canada in 1820

Yule migration to Australia +

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

Yule Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Euphemia Yule, (Urquhart), (b. 1795), aged 52, Scottish house wife who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 4th September 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), she died in 1877 7

Yule 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:

Yule Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Alex Yule, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Bengal Merchant 8
  • M Yule, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Bengal Merchant 8
  • J Yule, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Bengal Merchant 8
  • John Yule, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bengal Merchant" in 1840 9
  • Alexander Yule, aged 34, a sawyer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bengal Merchant" in 1840 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Yule (post 1700) +

  • Joseph Yule Jr. (1920-2014), birth name of Mickey Rooney, the American Juvenile Academy Award, Honorary Academy Award, two-time Golden Globe and an Emmy Award winning film actor and entertainer
  • Douglas Alan "Doug" Yule (b. 1947), American rock musician, member of The Velvet Underground
  • Joe Yule (1888-1950), Scottish-born, American burlesque and vaudeville performer, and screen actor, known for his starring role in the Jiggs and Maggie film series and as the father of Joseph Yule (Mickey Rooney)
  • Sir Henry Yule (1830-1889), Scottish geographer, born at Inveresk, near Edinburgh, youngest son of Major William Yule (1761–1839) of the East India Company's service
  • Andrew Yule, Scottish founder of Andrew Yule and Company Ltd. in 1919, an Indian manufacturing and industrial conglomerate
  • Sir Henry Yule (1820-1880), Scottish Orientalist
  • George Udny Yule FRS (1871-1951), Scottish statistician
  • Daniel Yule (b. 1993), Swiss World Cup alpine ski racer
  • Sir David Yule (1858-1928), 1st Baronet was a Scottish businessman, co-founder of Yule Catto & Co. plc, a British-based chemicals business
  • Chris Yule (b. 1975), Canadian-born, Japanese professional ice hockey player at the 1998 Winter Olympics
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Yule 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: Numine et virtute
Motto Translation: By God's providence and by virtue.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  5. Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
  6. 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)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
  8. Shadow Time Settlers (Retrieved 5th November 2010), retrieved from http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/settlers.html
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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