Baskcomb History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Baskcomb is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Baskcomb 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 Baskcomb family

The surname Baskcomb 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 Baskcomb family

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

Baskcomb Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Baskcomb include Bascum, Bascomb, Bascome, Bascombe, Bascom, Baskomb, Boscomb and many more.

Early Notables of the Baskcomb family

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

Migration of the Baskcomb family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Baskcombs to arrive on North American shores: 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 Baskcomb 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.