Bascon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Bascon came to England with the ancestors of the Bascon family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bascon family lived in Boscombe, Wiltshire where one reference from 1273 suggests that "Boscumbe" may have derived from the Old English words meaning a 'valley overgrown with spiky plants.' Today Boscombe is a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset and includes Boscombe Manor, built by Phillip Norris in 1801. "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" was one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first published in the Strand Magazine in 1891.

Early Origins of the Bascon family

The surname Bascon was first found in Wiltshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times, after the Norman Conquest in 1066. They were conjecturally descended from Edward a tenant of William d'Eu as shown in the Domesday Book taken in 1086 by William Duke of Normandy showing the lands granted by the king to his nobles.

Early History of the Bascon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bascon research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1600 and 1975 are included under the topic Early Bascon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bascon Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Bascum, Bascomb, Bascome, Bascombe, Bascom, Baskomb, Boscomb and many more.

Early Notables of the Bascon family

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

Migration of the Bascon family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Bascon or a variant listed above: Thomas Baskom who settled in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1630; George Bascomb settled in Somers Island in 1673; B. Bascomb arrived in Portland, Maine, in 1821.

The Bascon Motto +

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: Forti et fideli nihil difficile
Motto Translation: Nothing is difficult to the brave and the faithful.