Abbas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient history of the Abbas name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided near one or more notable aspen trees. The surname Abbas is derived from the Old English word æpse, which means aspen. The surname may also be a nickname in jest, for a timid person, referring to the trembling leaves of the tree. 1

However, one source notes that name may be "a genitive form of Ape or Appe; a personal name, ante [(before)]1066 [and in the] Domesday Book. " 2

Early Origins of the Abbas family

The surname Abbas was first found in Huntingdonshire where the singular name Eppe was recorded c. 1250. A few years later, Roger Eppe was listed in Norfolk according to the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275. The name could have originated at Epps Farm in Bentley, Warwickshire. 3

Early History of the Abbas family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abbas research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1307, 1327, 1524, 1534, 1604, 1628, 1658, 1779, 1787, 1805, 1815, 1823, 1833, 1845, 1869 and 1874 are included under the topic Early Abbas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abbas Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Abbas include Apps, Apse, Abbs, Abb, App, Apsey, Epps, Ebbs, Epsey, Epp and many more.

Early Notables of the Abbas family

More information is included under the topic Early Abbas Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abbas Ranking

In the United States, the name Abbas is the 18,370^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4 However, in France, the name Abbas is ranked the 7,489^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Abbas family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Abbas or a variant listed above: Francis Eppes, who was on record in Virginia in 1625 with his three sons; Edward Abbs, who settled in Virginia in 1635; Edmond Apps who settled in Virginia in 1650.

Contemporary Notables of the name Abbas (post 1700) +

Pasha Abbas Hilmi (1874-1943), last khedive of Egypt
Abbas Ravjani, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 2008 6
Abbas Malekzadeh Milani (b. 1949), Iranian-American historian and author, visiting professor of Political Science and the director of the Iranian Studies program at Stanford University
Prince Abbas Pasha (1813-1854), prince of Persia
Prince Abbas Mirza (1783-1833), prince of Persia

The Abbas Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: In Te Domine Speravi
Motto Translation: In thee, O Lord, I have placed my hope.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html