Antill family index [OCR source: The Antill Family by R.V. Pockley]

THE ANTILLS ...page 5

The family of Antill is a very ancient one; it is known to have existed in England as early as the year 833. In the Domesday Book - 1085 - the name appears as land-holders in no fewer than 19 counties.

As is the case with most families whose names go well back into antiquity, the spelling varies considerably from time to time. The earliest form of spelling was ANS-CHETILL. The Norman pronunciation rendered the "s" silent; hence it became Anchetill, Anchetil, Anketyll, Aniketell, Anktyll, Antyll, Antell and Antill.

Domesday Book records a Rogerus Anschitillus; there was another Anketell in 1152, and an Anketillus was a Prior, who died in 1196, after reigning for 21 years. An Anketyll Sigge appeared in the Plea Rolls of 1201; there was a Roger Anketil who was a Juror in Shaftesbury in 1243, and who was Verderer of Gillingham Forest from 1244 to 1258. This man was evidently descended from the Roger of Domesday Book. Another Roger was Verderer in 1269, and a Juror in 1312. He was the forebear of William Anketell of Shaftesbury, who married Elizabeth Fillol; their son William in 1381 received from his Fillol grandfather lands entailed at Duddesbury Manor. Various Anketils or Anketills were Representatives for the Borough of Shaftesbury in the fourteenth century, from 1304 till 1374. In 1434 William Anketyll and Thomas Anketyll, of Leigh, were listed among the principal men of the County of Dorset.

In 1470 William Anketill Senior, his wife Elizabeth and William Anketill Junior ceded their rights to the Manors of West Almer and Lychetmynstre to John Anketill. The latter died about 1479, holding lands in Lichet Minster, Wimbourne Minster, Kingston-Lacy, etc, and owning the Manor of Anketil's Place in Shaftesbury, as well as other lands there and in Little Cranford, Hamme Preston, etc, and the Manors of Duddesbury and Leigh. This John, from his inheritance, would appear to be directly descended from the Roger of Domesday Book. An Anketillus was the first Master of Magdalen College School, Oxford, in 1480. In 1501 William Aniketill was certified to be made Knight of the Bath.

The Will of Elizabeth, wife of John Anketel (Anchetil), (Antill) was proved in Rochester in 1513. It read: "My lands in Greenwich to my husband on condition that he perpetuates 40 shillings a year to the Church Wardens for Dirge and Mass with all the singers and readers that are diligent to serve God within the said Church of Greenwich and have at same Dirge bread, ale and cheese. The Church Wardens for their trouble 12 pence yearly and any surplus to go to ornaments of the Church". Witness: Sir Robert More, Priest and others. This John Antill is mentioned in the ...