Earl Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Earl last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Earl last name
Meaning of the Earl last name: nobleman / warrior. Earl is an English surname from Old English eorl, "nobleman" or "warrior", used as a byname or style-name. The last name is nationwide in England. Essex lay subsidy rolls already list Earl as a style-byname, so the Earl surname stayed easy to spot in later indexes.
Arms associated with the Earl name
In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Earl name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.
Get your full Earl family history
This is only a glimpse of the Earl story. The full Earl history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Earl coat of arms. Get the full Earl report.
Earl name FAQ
What does the Earl name mean?
Nobleman / warrior. Common variants include Earle, Earls.
Where does the Earl surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Earl coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Earl coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).