First found in Essex where they held a family seat from very early times in the town of Colchester.

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More about the East History...

Please remember that this page is only a small extract of our complete history that includes:

• Ancient origin of the name (usually pre-1100)
• Known spelling variations
• Early movement of the family name during the Middle Ages
• Noteworthy bearers from the 1500-1600s
• First settlers to North America
• Notable contemporary bearers of the name
• A description and/or full color picture of the Coat of Arms, Crest, and Motto (where available)

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them travelled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the Origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name East or a variant listed above: Richard East who landed with his family in Virginia in 1623; Francis East settled in Tobago, on one of the southern islands, and Benjamin East landed in Pennsylvania in 1682..

Motto Translated: I advance.

For more information on the last name East, the PDF Surname History is available for purchase as well as other products.