Twizell Family History
Twizell Surname Meaning
From Middle English twisel(e) ‘fork (of a river)’ (Old English twisla). The surname may be topographic for someone who lived by a fork in a river or toponymic for someone from a place so named.
Such places include Twizel in Norham (Northumb), Twizell in Bamburgh (Northumb), Twizzle Well in Hawkesbury (Gloucs), or Twissell's Mill in Heathfield (Sussex).
These locations reflect the geographical features that influenced the naming conventions during the time.
In particular, Twissell's Mill in Heathfield is noted for being home to the 1379 Sussex early bearer of the surname.
This illustrates how local landmarks and geographic features have historically contributed to family names.
Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016