Langthorne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient history of the Langthorne name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Lincolnshire. However, there are numerous villages and civil parishes named "Langton" throughout England including locals in Leicestershire, North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Durham, Kent and Dorset. This is large part due to the fact that the place name literally translates as "long farmstead or estate," having derived from the Old English words "lang" + "tun." 1 Some are listed in the Domesday Book of 1086: Lang(e)tone (Leicestershire); Langeton (North Yorkshire - now Great Langton); and Terlintone (Leicetershire - now Tur Langton.) 2 The oldest place name recorded was Langton Durham which was listed as Langadum c. 1050 eluding to it's Saxon origin.

Early Origins of the Langthorne family

The surname Langthorne was first found in Lincolnshire at Langton by Spilsby, sometimes called Langton by Partney, a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district. The parish of Langton is nearby. "This parish, which has been the residence of the Langton family for more than seven centuries." 3 One of the earliest records of the name was Cardinal Stephen Langton (c.1150-1228), who was Archbishop of Canterbury (1207 until death in 1228.) He was a critical player in the dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III, which ultimately led to the issuing of Magna Carta in 1215. A manor which has remained to the present day in the inheritance of this house can be found at Langton by Spilsby. 4 Walter de Langton (1296-1321), Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, Lord High Treasurer of England, and a favourite of Edward I. was born in Langton West.

Another branch of the family was found at Woolstone in Lancashire. "In the 20th of Edward I., John Byrun claimed free warren here in right of his wife Alesia, heiress of Robert Banastre. This lady was afterwards married to Sir John Langton, whose descendant, John Langton, in the reign of Edward III. held Wolueston as Baron of Makerfield. How long the property continued in this family does not appear, but it seems to have been alienated anterior to the reign of Philip and Mary." 3

Early History of the Langthorne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Langthorne research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1207, 1215, 1227, 1228, 1248, 1279, 1305, 1337, 1501, 1614, 1622, 1625, 1626, 1645, 1648, 1659, 1698 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Langthorne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Langthorne 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 Langthorne include Langton, Langston and others.

Early Notables of the Langthorne family

Distinguished members of the family include Stephen Langton (c. 1150-1228), Archbishop of Canterbury (1207-1228), a central figure in the dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III, which contributed to the crisis which led to the issuing of Magna Carta in 1215; William Langton (or William of Rotherfield; died 1279), a medieval English priest and nephew of Archbishop Walter de Gray; Simon Langton (died 1248), an English clergyman, Archdeacon of Canterbury (1227-1248)...
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Langthorne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Langthorne family to Ireland

Some of the Langthorne family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Langthorne migration to the United States +

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 Langthorne or a variant listed above:

Langthorne Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Langthorne, who arrived in Maryland in 1657 5

The Langthorne 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: Loyal au mort
Motto Translation: Faithful unto death.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)