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![Show Contents]() Contence History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 France
The French family name Contence is a patronymic name, derived from the Christian name of the bearer's father. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin name "Constans," which meant "steadfast" or "faithful." As a surname it seems to have developed independently in various regions of France including, Languedoc, Brittany, Anjou, Touraine, and Poitou. Early Origins of the Contence familyThe surname Contence was first found in Languedoc, where the earliest known bearers of this name are thought to have originated. However, the Contence name was found in several regions from quite early times, with several different, perhaps even unrelated families taking on the surname. There was a noble family of feudal lords bearing the name in Poitou in the thirteenth century, and later, in the fifteenth century, there was another prominent family of that name among the nobility who held large fiefs in Brittany. Walter Coutances (de Constantiis), (d. 1207), was "Bishop of Lincoln and Archbishop of Rouen, and is said to have been of English birth, the son of Rainfred and Gonilla; John de Schalby, in his compilation from the Lincoln records, states that he was a native of Cornwall. He may have been called of Coutances as he was sprung from the house of Corineus, the fabulous Trojan immigrant into Cornwall. He was clerk to Henry II and his eldest son, and is styled chaplain of Blythe. " 1 Early History of the Contence familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Contence research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1770, 1800 and 1902 are included under the topic Early Contence History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Contence Spelling VariationsThe many different spellings of French surnames can be partially explained by the use of local dialects and by the influence of other languages during the early development of the French language. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Contence is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Constans, Constan, Constant, Constanc, Constance, Consten, Constens, Constense, Constence, Constanse, Constane, Constene, Constante, Contans, Contan, Contant, Contance, Conten, Contens, Contense, Contence, Contanse, Contane, Contene and many more. Early Notables of the Contence familyMore information is included under the topic Early Contence Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Contence familyMigration from France to New France or Quebec as it was now more popularly called, continued from France until it fell in 1759. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In the treaty of Utrecht, the Acadians were ceded by France to Britain in 1713. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported. They found refuge in Louisiana. In 1793, the remaining French in these provinces came under British rule. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the French race flourished, founding in Lower Canada, one of the two great solitudes which became Canada. Many of this distinguished family name Contence were prominent in social, cultural, religious and political affairs in France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Contence were Elizabeth Constant, who settled in Virginia in 1663; Louis Constant, aged 8; settled in New York in 1820; Martial Constant, aged 45; settled in New Orleans in 1820.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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