Eccles Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Meaning, Origin & Etymology

The surname Eccles is a historic habitational name, derived from various places in Britain named Eccles. Most of these settlements trace their name to the Brittonic word eglēs, meaning “church,” which passed into Latin as ecclesia and Greek as ekklesia, both signifying a Christian assembly or place of worship. Thus, the name originally referred to someone who lived near or was associated with a church-centered settlement.

In Kent, however, the origin differs. There, Eccles appears in the Domesday Book as Aiglessa, stemming from the Old English aec-læes, meaning “oak pasture.” This suggests that in southeastern England, the name may have described someone living near a grove or clearing of oak trees.

Spelling Variations

Over time, the Eccles surname evolved into several phonetic forms, influenced by regional dialects and the literacy of record-keepers. Common variants include:

• Eccles
• Ecles
• Eckles
• Eckels

These variations reflect the fluid nature of medieval spelling and the localized pronunciation of names.

Early Marriage Records

One of the earliest documented marriages involving the Eccles surname occurred on June 29, 1589, in Hooton Pagnell, Yorkshire. The union of Margaret Eckels and Rychard England illustrates both the surname’s presence in Tudor-era Yorkshire and the persistence of variant spellings.

Popularity & Geographic Distribution

While not among the most common surnames, Eccles is found across Britain, Ireland, the United States, and other parts of the Commonwealth. In the 2010 U.S. Census, approximately 3,200 individuals bore the name, placing it around 10,000th in national surname rankings.

In the UK and Ireland, the name remains most prevalent in Northern England, Scotland, and Ulster. Its moderate rarity and regional concentration reflect both historical settlement patterns and migration trends.

Early Bearers of the Surname

Medieval records offer glimpses into early individuals bearing the Eccles name:

• Adam de Ecclis of Heaton with Halliwell and Robert de Ecclis of Pilkington – Lancashire Lay Subsidy Rolls, 1332
• Richard Eccles – Hundredorum Rolls, Cambridgeshire, 1273
• Warin de Eccles – Kent, 1212
• Adam de Eccles – Witnessed a charter near Melrose, Scotland, circa 1170

These entries show the surname’s use across England and Scotland, often linked to landholding, taxation, or legal affairs.

History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Eccles surname has multiple points of origin, each tied to a specific locality named Eccles. In medieval Britain, surnames often reflected place of residence, and for Eccles, this typically meant either a church-centered community or an oak pasture.

By the 17th and 18th centuries, branches of the Eccles family had established themselves in Ulster, particularly in Tyrone, Wicklow, and Ayrshire. These movements align with broader patterns of English and Scottish migration during the plantation era. Earlier prominence is also noted in Norfolk and Suffolk during the reign of Edward I.

Mottoes

Several Eccles family branches adopted heraldic mottoes that reflect their values and roles:

• Se defendendo (“In self-defense”) – Eccles of Kildonan, County Ayr
• Nec deficit animus (“The courage does not fail”) – Eccles of Fintona, County Tyrone

These mottoes suggest a legacy of resilience and self-reliance.

Heraldic Grantees

Throughout history, various branches of the Eccles family were granted heraldic arms, affirming their status among the landed gentry and reflecting their regional prominence and roles in civic life.

One of the earliest recorded grants belongs to the Eccles family of Norfolk and Suffolk during the reign of Edward I. Their arms are described as:
Argent, on a saltire gules, two crozier staves saltireways or, surmounted with a lion’s head of the first.
This design, rich in ecclesiastical symbolism, suggests a clerical or monastic association, reinforcing the surname’s etymological ties to church-centered settlements.

In Scotland, the Eccles families of Kildonan and Shanock, County Ayr, bore arms that emphasized martial readiness and resilience:
Arms: Argent, two halberts saltireways azure
Crest: A broken halbert azure
The Shanock branch, identified as a cadet line, bore the same arms enclosed within a bordure gules, a traditional heraldic mark of distinction for junior family branches.

In Ireland, the Eccles family of Cronroe, County Wicklow, is notably referenced through the 1874 marriage of Elizabeth Eccles, heiress of Hugh Eccles, to Captain the Hon. Henry W. C. Ward. This union reflects the family’s continued landholding and integration into the Anglo-Irish gentry well into the 19th century.

Notables

The Eccles surname has been carried by individuals of distinction across diverse fields:

• Ambrose Eccles – Irish Shakespearean scholar
• Clancy Eccles – Jamaican reggae musician and producer
• David Eccles – Scottish-born industrialist in Utah
• David Eccles, 1st Viscount Eccles – British politician
• John Carew Eccles – Nobel Prize-winning neurophysiologist
• Marriner S. Eccles – U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman
• Solomon Eccles – 17th-century Quaker and musician
• Charlotte O’Conor Eccles – Irish novelist and journalist
• Mary Eccles, Viscountess Eccles – American scholar and bibliophile
• Jacquelynne S. Eccles – Educational psychologist
• Tony Eccles – Professional darts player

These individuals reflect the surname’s enduring legacy in scholarship, governance, music, science, and literature.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (cos. Norfolk and Suffolk, temp. Edward I.). Ar. on a saltire gu. two crozier staves saltireways or, surmounted with a lion’s head of the first.
2) (Kildonan, co. Ayr). Motto—Se defendendo. (Eccles Ville, Fintona, co. Tyrone; descended from Kildonan). Motto—Nec deficit animus. (Cronroe, co. Wicklow; a scion of Kildonan; Elizabeth, sister and heiress of the late Hugh Eccles, Esq., of Cronroe, m. 1874, Capt. the Hon. Henry W. C. Ward). Ar. two halberts saltireways az. Crest—A broken halbert az.
3) (Shanock, co. Ayr). Same Arms, within a bordure gu.