Show ContentsCue History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Cue Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Cue

What does the name Cue mean?

The many generations and branches of the Cue family can all place the origins of their surname with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name reveals that an early member worked as a person who worked as the cook. The surname was originally derived from the Old French terms queu, keu, kieu, cu, which denoted the cook or someone who operated an eating house. 1 The present-day French forms are Le Queu and Le Queux. 2

Early Origins of the Cue family

The surname Cue was first found in Norfolk, England where Roger le Cu was recorded in the Feet of Fines for 1196. Later in Leicestershire, William Kue was found in the Pipe Rolls for 1203 and William le Keu was listed in the Feet of Fines for Cheshire in 1231. Over the Lancashire, we found Hugh le Kew listed in the Assize Rolls for 1246. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include the following entries: Nicholas le Keu, Nottinghamshire; and Walter le Keu, Oxfordshire, while the Writs of Parliament lists William le Keu, 1301; William Cocus, 1302; and William le Keu, or Cocus, 1306. 3

In Scotland, the name has similar origins, specifically from the occupation of "cook," from Latin coquus. "John le Keu, a Scots prisoner taken at the capture of Dunbar Castle, was sent to Montgomery Castle in 1296. William le Keu of Knolle in the county of Lanark and Richard le Keu of the county of Fife, rendered homage for their lands in the same year, and Cristin le Cu of Stratherne was a Scots prisoner in Carlisle Castle in 1305. The seal of William of Knolle bears a raven and S' Will' Cod de Knol. Hugh Kew de Den was a notary public in Aberdeen in 1451. 4

Early History of the Cue family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cue research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1296, 1305, 1688 and 1809 are included under the topic Early Cue History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cue Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Cue were recorded, including Kew, Kiew, Keu, le Keu, Cocus and others.

Early Notables of the Cue family

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

Cue Ranking

the United States, the name Cue is the 15,873rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Cue migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Cue family emigrate to North America:

Cue Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Cue, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1811 6
  • Emile Cue, who arrived in Hancock County, Miss in 1880 6
  • Emilio Cue, who landed in Mississippi in 1880 6
Cue Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • William Cue, aged 23, who immigrated to America, in 1901
  • William Cue, aged 23, who landed in America from Omagh, Ireland, in 1910
  • Mrs. Thomas E. Cue, aged 56, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1911
  • Thomas E. Cue, aged 58, who landed in America from London, England, in 1911
  • David Cue, aged 27, who settled in America, in 1918

Cue migration to Australia +

Cue Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Henry Cue, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Satellite" in 1851 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Cue (post 1700) +

  • Vince Cue, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Fremont, California, 1980 8
  • Tom Cue (1850-1920), Western Australian gold prospector, eponym of Cue, a town located there
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. 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)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SATELLITE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Satellite.gif
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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