Surname Saturday: Cecil

We have reached another Saturday, and that means another surname study.  Today the links begin with my eleventh great grandmother, Margaret Cecil.  The connection to this line is still a bit tenuous as it has only been averred in Ancestral File entries, but here's what I know so far.


At least one Ancestral File record states that Margaret Cecil was born in 1523 in England, while other records note that she was born in 1562 in Leicester, England.  I don't yet know which is correct, but it is clear that she was English.  Margaret was twice married, to Ambrose Smith (b. 1561) and to Roger Cave.  I don't have any further information on Roger, and I only have one child in my database attributed to Ambrose and Margaret: Henry Smith (M; b. 1599 or 1600, Norwich, England; m. 1632 or 1633 to Dorothy Cotten; d. 9 Aug 1648, Wethersfield, Connecticut).

As we move back in generations, the links remain questionable, but connect to various members of English nobility.  My database currently shows Margaret's parents were Richard Cecil and Jane Heckington.  Richard was born circa 1495 (which lends credence to a birth year of 1523 for Margaret).  In 1517 he was a royal page, and a few years later, circa 1520, he married Jane.  Richard was appointed High Sheriff of Rutland in 1539.  He died on 19 May 1552 and was buried three days later on 22 May.  Jane was born (date unknown) in Tickencote, Rutlandshire, England, and died in March 1588 at Burghley House.  Together, Richard and Jane had four children: William Cecil (M; b. 13 Sep 1520; named Baron Burghley in 1571; d. 4 Aug 1598), Margaret Cecil (above), Elizabeth Cecil (F; b. 1525; d. 1610 or 1611) and Anne Cecil (F; b. 1527).

Since William was ennobled, moving back from there isn't quite as difficult since there are some published works on this family, which I have to find the time to fully research.  However, William was the first in his family to be ennobled, and it appears that his siblings were not, so moving down the line that I am interested in may be a little more difficult.  Richard's parents were David Cecil and Jane Dicons.  David was born circa 1473 in England.  In 1529 and 1530, David served as High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.  He died in 1541 and was buried at St's George & Paul Church, Stamford, Lincolnshire, England.  His wife Jane was born circa 1477 also in England.  David and Jane had three children: David Cecil (M; b. circa 1492), Joan Cecil (F; b. circa 1494) and Richard (above).

Moving back to the next generation, the Cecil surname morphs to Cyssel.  David was the son of Richard Cyssel and Margaret Vaughan.  Of these two I know almost nothing so far except that Richard died after 1508.  David is the only child that I have listed in my database for this family.

When we look at Richard Cyssel's parents, we again see the paternal surname change, this time to Sitsylt.  Richad's parents were Philip Sitsylt and Margaret Phelip.  I have not found any further details for either Philip or Margaret yet.

Since the links that I've found between my well-researched lines and Margaret Cecil are so questionable, that seems the best place to start in further researching this line.  I need to verify the connection to the Cecil line before I spend too much time looking at Baron Burghley's lineage.  If I can prove my connection to Margaret, I will definitely look further into the Cecil/Cyssel/Sitsylt lines.