Stayton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The Strongbownian invaders added their Norman conventions for surnames to the previously established Irish system for hereditary surnames. One of the most frequent forms of surnames for both cultures was the patronymic surname, which was formed from the name of the bearer's father or grandfather. The Norman tradition that the followers of Strongbow brought with them created such a surname through diminutive suffixes such as "-ot," "-et," "-un," "-in," or "-el." Occasionally, two suffixes were combined to form a double diminutive, as in the combinations of "-el-in," "-el-ot," "-in-ot," and "-et-in." The Normans also formed patronymic surnames in a manner very similar to the Irish: they added a prefix to their father's name. These Anglo-Norman people, however, used the prefix Fitz-, which was derived from the French word "fils," and ultimately from the Latin "filius," which both mean "son." Although this prefix probably originated in Flanders or Normandy, it can now only be found in Ireland. The surname Stayton is derived from the personal name Eustace. This name is derived from the Latin name "Eustacius," which in turn is derived from the distinct Greek names "Eustakhios," which means "fruitful," and "Eustathios," which means "orderly."

Early Origins of the Stayton family

The surname Stayton was first found in County Meath, Wicklow and Wexford. They were Barons of Meath and later became the Viscounts Baltinglass.

Some of the family claim descent through the O'Briens and thereby the Heber Kings of Ireland. "Sir Roland Eustace, or Fitz Eustace, Lord Portlester, was descended from a branch or the Geraldines to whom Henry II. had granted the country round Nass. In 1454 he was appointed Deputy to Richard, Duke of York; and again in 1462 he filled the same office for the Duke of Clarence." 1

Stacey and its variants are a derivative of Eustace and are principally found in Wicklow and Wexford. 2

Early History of the Stayton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stayton research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1200, 1639 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Stayton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stayton Spelling Variations

During an investigation of the origin of each name, it was found that church officials and medieval scribes spelled many surnames as they sounded. Therefore, during the lifetime of a single person, a name could be spelt numerous ways. Some of the spelling variations for the name Stayton include FitzEustace, Eustace, Eustice, Eustis, Stacy, Stacey, Stasey, Stacie, Stacie, Staicey, Staycey and many more.

Early Notables of the Stayton family

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

Stayton Ranking

In the United States, the name Stayton is the 11,946^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Stayton family

Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Stayton: James Eustis settled in Virginia in 1635; Mary Eustace settled in America in 1724; Alice Stacey settled in Barbados in 1664; Hugh Stacey settled in Salem, Mass in 1630.

Contemporary Notables of the name Stayton (post 1700) +

Edward M. Stayton, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Missouri State Constitutional Convention 5th District, 1943-44

The Stayton 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: Cur me persequeris?
Motto Translation: Why persecutest thou me?

Citations +

O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/