Constance History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The French family name Constance is a patronymic name, derived from the Christian name of the bearer's father. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin name "Constans," which meant "steadfast" or "faithful." As a surname it seems to have developed independently in various regions of France including, Languedoc, Brittany, Anjou, Touraine, and Poitou.

Early Origins of the Constance family

The surname Constance was first found in Languedoc, where the earliest known bearers of this name are thought to have originated. However, the Constance name was found in several regions from quite early times, with several different, perhaps even unrelated families taking on the surname. There was a noble family of feudal lords bearing the name in Poitou in the thirteenth century, and later, in the fifteenth century, there was another prominent family of that name among the nobility who held large fiefs in Brittany.

Walter Coutances (de Constantiis), (d. 1207), was "Bishop of Lincoln and Archbishop of Rouen, and is said to have been of English birth, the son of Rainfred and Gonilla; John de Schalby, in his compilation from the Lincoln records, states that he was a native of Cornwall. He may have been called of Coutances as he was sprung from the house of Corineus, the fabulous Trojan immigrant into Cornwall. He was clerk to Henry II and his eldest son, and is styled chaplain of Blythe. " 1

Early History of the Constance family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Constance research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1770, 1800 and 1902 are included under the topic Early Constance History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Constance Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous spelling alterations depending on the region and time it was used. The early development of the French language relied heavily on borrowing elements and grammar from other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Constance is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Constans, Constan, Constant, Constanc, Constance, Consten, Constens, Constense, Constence, Constanse, Constane, Constene, Constante, Contans, Contan, Contant, Contance, Conten, Contens, Contense, Contence, Contanse, Contane, Contene and many more.

Early Notables of the Constance family

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

Constance Ranking

In the United States, the name Constance is the 16,994^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Constance migration to the United States +

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Migration was slow. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the French Acadian presence in the Maritimes had reached 500. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The family name Constance has made many distinguished contributions in France and New France to the world of science, culture, religion, and education. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Constance were

Constance Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Marie Constance, who arrived in New Orleans in 1870
Christopher Constance, who arrived in Kansas in 1888

Contemporary Notables of the name Constance (post 1700) +

Mrs. Sheila Constance Saunders B.E.M., British recipient of the British Empire Medal on 8th June 2018, for services to the community in Ketton and Barrowden, Rutland
Annie Constance Tocker (1889-1980), New Zealand librarian, Methodist deaconess, nurse and child welfare officer from Greytown, Wairarapa
Perdita Constance Huston (1936-2001), American journalist and women's rights activist, inspiration for the Perdita Huston Human Rights Award
Dorothy Constance Stratton (1899-2006), American director of the SPARS, the United States Coast Guard Women's Reserve during World War II, eponym of the USCGC Stratton (WMSL-752)
Dame Gillian Constance Weir DBE (b. 1941), New Zealand organist
Eleanor Constance Lodge CBE (1869-1936), English historian and Principal of Westfield College, London
Laura Constance Netzel (1839-1927), Swedish composer
Mary Constance DuBois (1879-1959), American author
Constance "Connie" Elaine Clayton PhD, EdD (1933-2023), American educator and civic leader
Constance May "Connie" Scofield (b. 1999), English professional football player who plays as midfielder for FA Women's Championship club London City Lionesses

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/