Although there were Withiell families living in Perranzabuloe by 1612, as recorded by the baptisms of children to George, John and Philip Withiell, there was no Withiell listed in early Taxation records of 1525 and 1543 or the Muster Roll of 1569.
Information which has recently come to light has now made it possible to get a more complete picture of these early families in Perranzabuloe and to construct descendants charts. We have also been able to trace the migration of families, some to other Cornish villages and others to America and New Zealand. As far as is known there are no living descendants of the male line.
The Cornwall Protestation Return of 1641 lists Philip Withiell and Robert Withiell, as resident in Perranzabuloe.
Between 1662 and 1664 a further survey taken of house occupiers which listed the number of hearths for taxation purposes, found three householders in Perranzabuloe with this surname. Philip Withell had 1 hearth, Robert Wythell had 2 hearths. Luke Withell was listed as occupying a house with 4 hearths but the collectors has noted Luke 'is very poor and can badly pay for one'.
Family estate papers held by the Cornwall Record Office and Royal Institute of Cornwall indicate that Withiells occupied property in the manor of Fenton Gympis and at Callestock and used the title of gentleman.
George Withiell gent. was living at Calestock Veor and on 27 July 1711 he negotiated a further lease of this property. Mr George Withell was buried on 7 April 1716 at Perranzabuloe. Michael Withiel gent. also appears to have owned property and on 29 September 1708 he signed an Indenture with Sir William Scawers for a further tenement in Callestack. This was for the term of three lives - himself, his wife Joan and Thomas son of Thomas. During the next 20 years Michael and Thomas Withiell signed further leases involving Callestock in which the Earl of Radnor reserved the rights regarding timber and tin and also the right to hawk, hunt, fish and fowl.
Not all went according to plan. The Quarter Session Order Books for April 1774 to April 1785, record the following:- Application by Perranzabuloe concerning female bastard child born 9 June 1782 to Elizabeth Rickard, single woman; putative father Robert Withiel of Perranzabuloe: maintenance and lying-in costs awarded.
It appears that some of Robert's family moved to Illogan and there are now descendants living in US and New Zealand. No descendants in the male line have been found but there are several instances of the family using Withiel as a second given name.
Monumental Inscriptions at Philleigh and Mullion show that another branch of the family moved to the south east of Cornwall.
Whereas other Withiell and Withell families left Cornwall in the second half of the 19th century, one Perranzabuloe family remained. The census returns note that John Withiel had a 25 acre farm named Polgoda from 1841. By 1881 his land holding had been increased to 45 acres. John died in 1892 and until 1901 the farm was being run by his widow Hannah Withiell age 65 and her unmarried children, John 37 and Carrie 32. Hannah may have then moved to Mullion where this inscription has been placed in her memory.
Soon after the death of Hannah, both of their two children married, the son John living until 1949.
Records in US have been difficult to access but I was contacted by an American descendant of Phillipa Withiel who married John Clarke on 20 October 1733 at Perranzabuloe and moved to USA. Also I recently found the immigration of a James Withiel to New York in 1882. I believe this may have been James born 1860 in Perranzabuloe.
I have found no record of a Withiel currently living in UK or USA.