Sometime ago, there was some discussion on this list as to the origin of the Steele family name. The following was sent to me by a friend, in Scotland, who is a Scottish heraldic researcher. I think members of this list might find interesting his comments to me. Sincerely, Janet J. Johnston "The Steele family has been recorded in Scotland since at least 1259 when Henry Stel was a juror in Hopkelchoc (a place name no longer in use). The name has occurred mainly in Southern Scotland and there were places so named in Airship, Berwick and Dumfries. The two names that appear repeatedly throughout the records are John and William, including a John Steill who was hanged for theft in 1524. The family seems to have redeemed itself through William Steel, from Biggar, Scotland, the anti-slavery "underground railroad" organizer. Most of the names in Scotland are not connected with a Clan and Steele (and the various spellings of the name) is no exception."