Fitzstephen History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEarly Origins of the Fitzstephen familyThe surname Fitzstephen was first found in Wales where Robert FitzStephen (d. 1183?), was "one of the original Norman conquerors of Ireland. He was the son of Stephen, constable of Aberteivi (Cardigan), and of Nesta, daughter of Rhys ab Tewdwr, king of South Wales. In 1157, Robert followed Henry II's expedition into North Wales, and narrowly escaped the ambush in which his half-brother, the king's son, was slain. His inheritance included Cardigan,_Ceredigion' target='_blank'>Cardigan and Cemmes, and he became constable of Cardigan town in succession apparently to his father. In November 1166 he was betrayed by his own men into the hands of his cousin, Rhys ab Gruffydd, with whom he was then at war. In the spring of 1169 Fitzstephen, with his half-brother, Maurice Fitzgerald (d. 1176), landed in Ireland at Baganbun or Bannow, near Wexford. They were accompanied by thirty knights, sixty men-at-arms, and three hundred Welsh foot soldiers." 1 William FitzStephen (d. 1190?), was the biographer of Becket, and styled himself the archbishop's 'concivis.' He was in the closest connection with Becket for ten years or more, as his 'clericus et convictor.' 1 Early History of the Fitzstephen familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fitzstephen research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1120, 1150, 1164, 1166, 1169, 1171, 1172, 1176, 1183, 1190, 1191 and 1538 are included under the topic Early Fitzstephen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fitzstephen Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Fitzstephen, Fitzsteven, Sleyne, Sliney, Sloyan, Sline and many more. Early Notables of the Fitzstephen familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was
Migration of the Fitzstephen family to IrelandSome of the Fitzstephen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Fitzstephen familyTo escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Fitzstephen or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..
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