Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
Siebels Coat of Arms / Siebels Family CrestThis surname SIEBELS is of the baptismal group of surnames 'the son of Sybil' from the nickname Ciss or Siss. Following the Crusades in England after the 13th century, a need was felt for a family name in addition to the one that had been given at birth. This was often achieved by taking the name of the mother or father, and using it as a second name. The name is also spelt SYBEL, CYBEL, SIBBSON. SIBBISOM, SYBSON and SIBILL. The earliest of this name on record is SIBSONE (without surname) who was recorded in 1198, County Wiltshire. William Sibbison was documented in the year 1327. Willelmus Sibilson, of Yorkshire, who was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. Agnes Sybson (weaver) was documented in the same Tax listing. Thomas Sibson was documented in County Somerset in the year 1400, and Robert Sibbs of Counston, County Suffolk was recorded in 1524. Richard Sibson of Cumberland, registered at Oxford University in the year 1660. Originally the coat of arms identified the wearer, either in battle or in tournaments. Completely covered in body and facial armour, the knight could be spotted and known by the insignia painted on his shield and embroidered on his surcoat, the draped garment which enveloped him. The name was rendered in Latin documents as SIBILLA, a title (of obscure origin) borne by various priestesses in Classical times. In Christian mythology the sibyls came to be classed as pagan prophets, and hence the name was a respectable one to be bestowed on a child. The rise of surnames, according to the accepted theory, was due to the Norman Conquest of 1066 when Old English personal-names were rapidly superseded by the new christian names introduced by the Normans. Of these, only a few were really popular and in the 12th century this scarcity of christian names led to the increasing use of surnames to distinguish the numerous individuals of the same name. Some Normans had hereditary surnames before they came to England, but there is evidence that surnames would have developed in England even had there been no Norman Conquest. The development of the feudal system made it essential that the king should know exactly what service each person owed. Payments to and by the exchequer required that debtors and creditors should be particularized, and it became official that each individual acquired exact identification. |
