Banister History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Banister was first found in Lancashire, at Walton-le-Dale, a township and chapelry, in the parish, and Lower division of the hundred, of Blackburn, union of Preston. "The manor was granted by the first Henry de Lacy, probably about 1130, to Robert Banastre, from whose family it passed in marriage to the Langtons." 4

"A pedigree of the chief line of this family, from its founder down to the time of Edward I., has been preserved in a petition on the rolls of parliament. It appears from this document and other historical evidence, that Robert Banastre who came over with King William, held the lordship of Prestatyn, one of the hundreds of Flintshire, under Robert of Rhudlan (de Rodelent), a kinsman of the Conqueror. Here a tower was built on the coast, whereof the foundations are still discoverable. It was destroyed by the Welsh in the time of Henry II., when they regained possession of that district. At this time Robert, the son of Robert Banastre, withdrew with all his people into Lancashire." 3

Alard Banastre (fl. 1174), was Sheriff of Oxfordshire under Henry II in 1174 and 1176. "The Sheriff of Oxfordshire for the four years preceding 1174 was one, Adam Banastre, who may have been the father of Alard Banastre. " 5

Aughton, Lancashire was "supposed to have been granted to Thurstan Banastre about the middle of the twelfth century, and to have been carried by Margery his daughter to Richard son of Roger de Lytham, who died in or about 1201, leaving five daughters his co-heirs." 6

Another branch was found in Welsh Whittle, again in Lancashire. "This township, under the name of Walsewythull, was held of the earls of Lincoln by the Banastre family in the reign of Henry III." 4 Altham, again in Lancashire was an important family seat. "Under the name of Elvetham, the manor [of Altham] was granted by the first Henry de Lacy to Hugo, a Saxon: John de Alvetham, Hugo's descendant, left an heiress who married into the Banastre family, and thus sprang the Banastres of Altham, who occupied the manor-house for five centuries." 4

Again in Lancashire, Billisborrow or Billsborough was another family seat. "The family of Billisburgh was early seated here, and in the reign of Edward II. the Banasters are mentioned as holding lands in 'Billesworth.' " 4

"The family was very numerous elsewhere in England. In Shropshire, Richard Banastre 'was Lord of Munslow and Aston-Munslow in 1115, holding the same in capite under Henry I., and standing high in provincial importance. I think however that Richard Banastre was a greater man in Cheshire than in Shropshire. A deed of Richard, Earl of Chester, and the Countess Ermentrude, his mother, of the date of 1106, names Richard Banastre as one of the Barons of Cheshire: and in 1128 he is a prominent witness to a charter of Robert de Meschines.' " 7

"The Banastres also continued in Cheshire, where they have left their name to Mollington-Banastre, near Chester. Redacre Hall, in the parish of Prestbury, was their residence in the seventeenth century; and mention is made of a contemporary Hugh Banaster of Riding. Sulhamstead-Bannister, in Berkshire, commemorates another line of collaterals, of whom three were Sheriffs of the county; Alan Banastre, in 1169; Alard, in 1173, and Thomas, in 1203. One of the early Knights of the Garter is derived by Beltz, in his Memorials of the Order, from Englefield in Berkshire. Again, there were Banastres seated at Gnosall in Staffordshire." 7