Surname Veal - Meaning and Origin

Unraveling Family History: An Insightful Exploration of the Veal Surname Through iGENEA's DNA Test

Recently, I had the opportunity to take a DNA test through iGENEA, which offered a fascinating and comprehensive exploration of my genealogy, alongside an unexpected deep-dive into the lineage of the Veal surname. This experience not only illuminated my lineage but stimulated further interest in my heritage beyond surface-level knowledge.

Y. Veal

Veal: What does the surname Veal mean?

The surname Veal is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing back to ancient family roots in Britain. It is derived from the Middle English word "Viel," an occupational name for a calf-herder. The term "veal" generally refers to the meat of young calves, which may also suggest that the original bearers of the name may have been involved in raising and selling calves for food. Alternatively, it may also be linked to the Old French word "Viel" which means "old" and could have been used as a nickname for a wise or elderly person. Surnames were often given based on an individual's occupation, geographical location, or personal characteristics. Like many surnames, variations of spelling over centuries are quite common and include Veale, Vial, Vile, Viall, and Vile. The distribution of the Veal surname is predominantly found in England and Wales, particularly in the western region. It is also prevalent in the eastern United States, due to British immigration. Due to the historical and geospatial variations, the exact meaning may differ among different lineages carrying the Veal last name.

Veal: Where does the name Veal come from?

The last name Veal is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, particularly in the south of England. However, the name can also be found scattered all over America, Australia and Canada, showing that it has been around for centuries.

The original form of the name Veal comes from the Old French 'Veel', and was adopted into the English language after the Norman Conquest of 1066. This name is then thought to have become popular as a surname sometime during the Middle Ages when more and more land was being divided between families.

The Veal surname is thought to have come from an ancestor who was a Norman Recruiter, or a person who worked the land for their living. They were often given surnames based on what they did, in this case the surname comes from 'veel', which means 'veal' in Middle English. This would make them a 'Vealer', or one who reared veal, thus giving them the surname Veal.

Today, the Veal surname is found in various countries around the world, with the highest concentration found in the UK. It's not a hugely common name, but its various spellings have played a big part in its proliferation over the centuries. The form of the name can vary from 'Viel' to 'Veale', and even 'Veeal', so it's quite possible to find many variations on the name in any given region.

Variations of the surname Veal

The surname Veal is most commonly found in the British Isles, particularly England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. It is derived from the Old French word "veal", meaning calf. Variants and spellings of this surname may include Vealle, Veale, and Veall.

In Ireland, some variations of Veal have been Anglicized as "Beale" or "Byel". It is thought to be an English rendition of the Irish word "béal", meaning "mouth". Additionally, Irish variants of Veal include "Beal", "Beil", "Beilby", and "Beel".

In Scotland, variants of the surname Veal include "Veel", "Viell", and "Viells". These variants, like the Irish ones, are possibly derived from an Anglicization of the Gaelic word "béal" as well.

In England, variants of Veal include "Veahl", "Vealor", "Veals", and "Vien". These variations are likely based on regional dialects of Middle English, which would have been spoken prior to the modern English language.

In Wales, some of the variants of Veal include "Vayle", "Vayll", "Veyles", "Veeles", and "Viles". Again, these variants are derived from regional Welsh dialects, as well as possible Anglicizations of Welsh words.

The prominence of the Veal surname spread in the 1600s and 1700s due to migrations of people, particularly from Ireland and Scotland, to the Americas. In the United States, variants of Veal (and other variations of a similar origin) have become more commonplace. Some of these include "Vealy", "Veilleux", "Vile", and "Villegas".

Overall, the surname Veal has numerous variations, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Such variants are derived from regional dialects of Middle English and the Gaelic language, as well as possible Anglicizations of existing words. The prominence of this surname has since spread with the migration of its original bearers to the Americas, where new and more diverse forms of the name have been adopted.

Famous people with the name Veal

• Jonny Veal: Professional race car driver representing Chevrolet, Toyota, and Honda in competitions.
• Ashli Veal: Lawyer, former millennial political strategist, recipient of the CNN / Sallie Mae Change Project Scholarship.
• Danielle Veal: Professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.
• Tyra Veal: Summer and Winter X Games medalist, Olympic snowboarder.
• Roman Veal: Rapper who rose to fame after he won the Freestyle Friday championship on BET's 106 & Park.
• Dewayne Veal: Olympic swimmer and three-time gold medalist.
• Julius Veal: Disc jockey and hip hop producer after finding success remixing a 1985 Grandmaster Flash track.
• Josh Veal: Former London Broncos rugby player as well as a member of England Universities' rugby league team.
• Devon Veal: US Olympic judo champion and World Champion from Boston.
• Donovan Veal: Former professional baseball player who pitched in the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers organizations.

Other surnames

VeaVeackVeakVeakeVealeVealeyVealsVeaseyVeaugerméVeaughnVeazeyVeazieVeazy

Comments or additions to the name "Veal"

12.01.2024
In Louisiana there are a great amount of Creole Folk With the last name of Veal such as myself Christen-Joseph Veal.