Show ContentsBastyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Bastyn family

The surname Bastyn was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of St Columb Major who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Sebastian is a masculine given name that is derived from the Latin name Sebastianus meaning "from Sebastia" and is also a surname derived from Saint Sebastian (died c. 288), an early Christian saint and martyr.

Early History of the Bastyn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bastyn research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1510, 1535 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Bastyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bastyn Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bastian, Basten, Bastin, Bastien, Bastion, Baston and many more.

Early Notables of the Bastyn family

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

Migration of the Bastyn family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bastyn or a variant listed above: John Basten, who sailed to Maryland or Virginia as an emigrant in bondage in 1737. Also, two Josephs and a Louis Bastion were registered voters in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in the late 1800's..


Senghenydd colliery
  • Mr. George Bastyn (b. 1887), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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