Senecal Family History

French (Sénécal): status name for a seneschal an official in a large household who was responsible for overseeing day-to-day domestic arrangements from Old French seneschal (of ancient Germanic origin composed of the elements sini ‘old’ + scalc ‘servant’).

The seneschal of a royal or ducal household in the Middle Ages was a very powerful man indeed, often having control over the administration of justice among other things.

In some cases, the surname may have originated as a nickname for an officious man.

Compare Senegal.