Sebastien History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Spain

Early Origins of the Sebastien family

The surname Sebastien was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of St Columb Major who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Sebastian is a masculine given name that is derived from the Latin name Sebastianus meaning "from Sebastia" and is also a surname derived from Saint Sebastian (died c. 288), an early Christian saint and martyr.

Early History of the Sebastien family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sebastien research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1510, 1535 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Sebastien History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sebastien Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Sebastien have been found, including Bastian, Basten, Bastin, Bastien, Bastion, Baston and many more.

Early Notables of the Sebastien family

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

Sebastien Ranking

In France, the name Sebastien is the 2,307^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,798 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Sebastien family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Sebastien were among those contributors: John Basten, who sailed to Maryland or Virginia as an emigrant in bondage in 1737. Also, two Josephs and a Louis Bastion were registered voters in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in the late 1800's..

Contemporary Notables of the name Sebastien (post 1700) +

Sebastien Toutant (b. 1992), Canadian gold and silver medalist snowboarder at the 2011 Winter X Games XV in Aspen, Colorado
Sebastien Britten (b. 1970), Canadian figure skater, the 1995 Canadian national champion
Sebastien Fath (b. 1968), French professional historian
Sebastien Feller (b. 1991), French-born chess Grandmaster
Sebastien Bisaillon (b. 1986), Canadian ice hockey defenceman
Dr. Sebastien P Bettschart, Swiss lawyer
Sebastien Ziani de Ferranti (1864-1930), English electrical engineer

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/