Show ContentsArcy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Arcy surname is a Norman habitation name, created by adding the French preposition "de" meaning "from" to the place Arcy, in La Manche. [1]

Early Origins of the Arcy family

The surname Arcy was first found in Lincolnshire where the Norman Knight of the name Norman De Areci was listed as a landholder in the Domesday Book of 1086; he was granted 33 Lordships by William the Conqueror. [2]

"Norman de Areci held thirty-three lordships in the county of Lincoln by the immediate gift of the Conqueror, [3] and chose Nocton, one of them, as the head of his barony. His posterity retained it as their seat for "divers after ages," and his son Robert founded an Augustine priory there." [4]

Other early records of the name in Lincolnshire include William Daresci in the Pipe Rolls of 1191; Roger Arsi on record between 1173 and 1182; Osbert de Arcy in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273; and a Thomas Darcy in 1276. [5]

Temple Newsom in the West Riding of Yorkshire was home to another branch of the family. "This place derives the prefix to its name from the Knights Templars, who had a preceptory here, which, at the suppression of their order in 1311, was granted to Sir John D'Arcy, whose descendant, Thomas, Lord D'Arcy, was beheaded in the reign of Henry VIII. for joining the 'Pilgrims of Grace.' The forfeited manor was bestowed on the Earl of Lenox, father of Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots." [6]

D'Arcy Tolleshunt in Essex was another ancient homestead of the family. "This parish, which is bounded on the south-east by the river Blackwater and Northfleet creek, derives the adjunct to its name from the family of D'Arcy, who were anciently its lords." [6]

The family held an extensive estate at Greenhow in the North Riding of Yorkshire since early times but again, this family seat was also forfeited to the crown during the reign of Henry VIII. [6]

Early History of the Arcy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arcy research. Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1299, 1332, 1467, 1506, 1517, 1536, 1537, 1545, 1550, 1551, 1558, 1565, 1599, 1609, 1622, 1628, 1640, 1681, 1682, 1689, 1692, 1714, 1718, 1719, 1721 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Arcy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arcy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: D'Arcy, Darcie, Darcy, Arcy and others.

Early Notables of the Arcy family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Philip Darcy, Baron Darcy of Nocton, summoned to Parliament in 1299
  • his brother John Darcy, created Baron Darcy de Knayth in 1332
  • Thomas Darcy (1506-1558) created Baron Darcy of Chiche on 5 April 1551, later known as Baron Darcy of Temple Hurst, Vice-Chamberlain of the Household and Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard (1550-1551)
  • Baron Thomas Darcy (1467-1537) English nobleman, who served in military expeditions for Henry VII and Henry VIII, before fighting against the crown in the rebellion in the north of England known as th...
  • Thomas Darcy, 1st Earl Rivers (1565-1640)
  • Conyers Darcy (1599-1689), created 1st Earl of Holderness in 1682

Ireland Migration of the Arcy family to Ireland

Some of the Arcy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Arcy migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Arcy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick D Arcy, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 [7]

Contemporary Notables of the name Arcy (post 1700) +

  • Arcy Lennon, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1948 [8]


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  7. 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)
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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