Cornette History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Cornette is generally thought to have been derived from the Old French word 'cornet', 'a wind instrument made of horn or resembling a horn' or perhaps 'a player of the cornet.' 1 2

Early Origins of the Cornette family

The surname Cornette was first found in Cumberland at Corney, a parish, in the union of Bootle, Allerdale ward above Derwent. 1

"The surface is boldly varied, and the scenery in many parts strikingly picturesque; the higher grounds command diversified prospects, and from Corney Hall is an exceedingly fine view of the sea and numerous interesting objects. On the lands of the Hall are several veins of iron-ore of very rich quality, but of limited depth, which were wrought to some extent about 80 years since." 3

The first records of the family were found in this area. Benedict de Corneye was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1260 and Robert Cornay held estates at Low Hall, Yorkshire in 1301. 1 The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332 listed Robert de Cornay, Lancashire; and Roger de Cornay, Lancashire. 4

Further to the north in Scotland, early records there revealed "a Sir Milo Corneth otherwise Milone Cornet appears in record about the close of the twelfth century and during the first quarter of the thirteenth he is designated prior of St. Germains in East Lothian. As Dominus Milo Corneht he was witness to the marches of Stobo about 1180. As Milone Comet he witnessed a grant of the old castle of Forfar by Robert de Quincy to Reginald de Arngentine c. 1200, and as Milone Cornet he witnessed a grant by Peter de Grame to the Hospital of Soltre between 1190-1238. In 1220 he appears again as a witness. About 1230 he is again a witness in a charter by Ade filius Edulphi to the Abbey of Neubotle. As Milone Corneth he witnessed a charter granted by Sayerus de Quincy, earl of Winchester, for the souls of King William, R. de Quincy, my father, and R. my son. To this charter the earl appends 'the seal of Roger, my son, the only one with me.' " 5

Early History of the Cornette family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cornette research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1455, 1480, 1487, 1510, 1557, 1600, 1795, 1811, 1813, 1814, 1817, 1825, 1827, 1831, 1837, 1839, 1842, 1847 and 1848 are included under the topic Early Cornette History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cornette Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Cornette were recorded, including Corne, Corney, Cornie, Cornay, Cornhay, Cawney, Cawny, Corn, Cornah, Cornall and many more.

Early Notables of the Cornette family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Victor Cornette, son of an organist, born at Amiens 1795, a musician of indefatigable activity. He entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1811, and studied composition under Lesueur. He served in the band...

Cornette Ranking

In the United States, the name Cornette is the 15,552^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6 However, in France, the name Cornette is ranked the 7,147^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Cornette family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Cornette arrived in North America very early: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Contemporary Notables of the name Cornette (post 1700) +

James Mark "Jim" Cornette (b. 1961), American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker
Pierre Cornette de Saint-Cyr (1939-2023), French art dealer
Marcelle Lentz- Cornette (1927-2008), Luxembourgish politician
Junior Cornette (b. 1966), retired Guyanese sprinter

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/