CASTLES
The surname Castles is of English origin, deriving from the Middle English word castel, meaning a fortified building or the residence of a feudal lord. It was first recorded as a topographic or occupational name for those who lived near or worked within such a structure.
As a topographic surname, it signified a person dwelling in proximity to a prominent castle, while as an occupational surname it denoted a servant, keeper, or governor of a castle. These roles were vital in the medieval period when castles dominated the political and social landscape of the British Isles.
Early documentary evidence includes names such as Henry de Castell (1260, Cambridgeshire), John del Castel (1307, Yorkshire) and William ate Castele (1317, Kent). The first recorded spelling of the family name appears in the “Records of Bec Abbey” in Sussex, dated between 1148 and 1154, during the reign of King Stephen.
Variants of the surname that have been documented over the centuries include Castle, Castell, Castells, Castel, Castelle, Casteel, Castile and Kastles. In other linguistic contexts the name is rendered as Castillos in Spanish and Castelli in Italian.
A noteworthy bearer of the surname was Richard Castle (died 1751), an architect born in Germany who moved to Ireland before 1720. He designed numerous buildings in Dublin and its surrounding provinces, and was also known as Cassel or Cassels.
The official coat of arms granted to the Castle family is described as blue, on a silver bend three black castles; the crest consists of a dexter arm couped and embowed fesseways proper, vested red, cuffed gold, holding a silver pennon charged with a black bee volant, with a blue staff. Such heraldic devices were traditionally associated with surnames linked to fortified structures.
By the early modern period the surname had become well established across the British Isles, and today it is found in a range of English‑speaking countries, including Britain, the United States, Canada and Australia. In Britain it is most common in London, Lancashire and the West Midlands, while in the United States it is frequently encountered in Texas, California and New York.
Other surnames sharing a comparable topographical or occupational meaning include Fort, Fortress, Tower and Stronghold. Although not necessarily direct cognates, these names reflect an ancestral association with fortified places.
Typical given names associated with the Castles surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Daniel
- Darren
- David
- James
- John
- Peter
- Robert
- Sean
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Angela
- Barbara
- Denise
- Eileen
- Elizabeth
- Jayne
- Julie
- Karen
- Lorraine
- Margaret
- Mary
- Ruth
- Sharon
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Casale
- Casals
- Casal
- Casallas
- Cascales
- Casalis
- Castels
- Castle
- Casel
- Casell
- Casells
- Casiell
- Cassel
- Cassele
- Cassell
- Casselle
- Cassells
- Cassels
- Cassills
- Cassils
- Cassle
- Casstles
- Costle
- Kastle
- Caselay
- Caseley
- Casella
- Casellas
- Caselli
- Casely
- Cassal
- Cassall
- Cassely
- Cassol
- Castel
- Castele
- Castells
- Casttle
- Cazals
- Kestle
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Castles in...
Braille
⠉⠁⠎⠞⠇⠑⠎
Morse
-.-..-...-.-......
Semaphore
There are approximately 397 people named Castles in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around six in a million people in Britain are named Castles.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
