Gurnett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Gurnett was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Bray, and were granted the lands by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

It is claimed that this ancient race was one of the first Vikings to settle in Normandy, and became Lords of Gournay, which became a town, Gournai-n-Brai, in the arrondisement of Newfchatel. There were two Hughs of Gournays at the Battle of Hastings, father and son, and their son Gerard de Gournay married Edith the daughter of Gundrada, the daughter of William the Conqueror. 2

Another source differs with the spellings and origin of the name. "Hugo de Gournay, Lord of Gournay, in Normandy, who bore, for arms, pure sable, was one of the barons who commanded at the battle of Mortimer, against the French in 1054. Subsequently, coming over to England with Duke William, he participated in the victory of Hastings, and was rewarded with the manorial grants in Essex, which he held at the period of the General Survey. His son, Gerard de Gournay, Baron of Gournay, in Normandy, and Baron of Yarmouth in England, greatly increased his power and influence, by marrying the Conqueror's granddaughter, Editha, dau. of William de Warren, Earl of Surrey." 3

Farrington-Gurney in Somerset was the site of an ancient family seat. "This place takes the adjunct to its name from the Gournays, its ancient possessors, of whom Sir Thomas de Gournay was concerned in the murder of Edward II. at Berkeley Castle, for which his estates were confiscated." 4

To underline the long and steeped history of the family we include this early entry. Sir Matthew Gourney (1310?-1406), was an English soldier, "fourth son of Thomas Gourney, one of the murderers of Edward II, who was afterwards banished from England, and in the parliament held at the end of 1330 was condemned during his absence. Next year he was arrested at Burgos in Spain, but escaped, only, however, to be recaptured at the end of 1332 at Naples; he died in 1333 while on his way back to England as a prisoner. Mathew Gourney was born at Stoke-under-Hamden in Somersetshire about 1310. He became a distinguished soldier of fortune. Froissart terms him a 'moult vaillans chevalier.' He was first mentioned as being at the battle of the Sluys (1340). " 5

We now move to Bideford, Devon where a famous bridge was erected. "It is quite uncertain when it was built, the early records having been destroyed ; but, as the oldest seal of

the borough in existence, of fourteenth-century date, has the bridge for device, so old at least must Bideford Bridge be. According to tradition, no foundation could be laid until Sir Richard Gornard, or Gurney, the parish priest, dreamt that a rock had been rolled to the site to serve for that purpose, and, going there in the morning, found his dream accomplished ; whereupon the work was soon completed. " 6