| ![Show Contents]() Abse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The Abse name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived near one or more notable aspen trees. The surname Abse is derived from the Old English word æpse, which means aspen. The surname may also be a nickname in jest, for a timid person, referring to the trembling leaves of the tree. 1 However, one source notes that name may be "a genitive form of Ape or Appe; a personal name, ante [(before)]1066 [and in the] Domesday Book. " 2 Early Origins of the Abse familyThe surname Abse was first found in Huntingdonshire where the singular name Eppe was recorded c. 1250. A few years later, Roger Eppe was listed in Norfolk according to the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275. The name could have originated at Epps Farm in Bentley, Warwickshire. 3 Early History of the Abse familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abse research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1307, 1327, 1524, 1534, 1604, 1628, 1658, 1779, 1787, 1805, 1815, 1823, 1833, 1845, 1869 and 1874 are included under the topic Early Abse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Abse Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Abse has undergone many spelling variations, including Apps, Apse, Abbs, Abb, App, Apsey, Epps, Ebbs, Epsey, Epp and many more. Early Notables of the Abse familyMore information is included under the topic Early Abse Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Abse familyTo escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Abse were among those contributors: Francis Eppes, who was on record in Virginia in 1625 with his three sons; Edward Abbs, who settled in Virginia in 1635; Edmond Apps who settled in Virginia in 1650.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Abse (post 1700) | + |
- Dannie Abse (b. 1923), Welsh writer/physician
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: In Te Domine Speravi
Motto Translation: In thee, O Lord, I have placed my hope.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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