Constapil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Constapil reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Constapil is for a law enforcement officer of a parish. The surname is derived from the Old French word, cunestable. 1

Early Origins of the Constapil family

The surname Constapil was first found in Yorkshire where the family descend from Robert de Laci, whose ancestors had been constables of Chester under the celebrated Hugh Lupus temp. William the Conqueror. 2

The first records of the family include: Richard Constabl' who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire in 1130 and Alice Cunestabl' who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1200. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Jordan Constabul in Northumberland; and Clemens le Constable in Kent. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Margareta Constabille and Richard Constabularius. 3

The parish of Melton-Constable is of great significance to the family. "This place is of great antiquity, and at the time of the Domesday Survey was granted to the bishops of Thetford, of whom it was held by Roger de Lyons, whose descendants assumed the name of Constable, from the office which they held under the see." 4

Wassand in the East Riding of Yorkshire was home to another branch of the family. " It is called in Domesday Book Wadsande, and after passing through the abbeys of Meaux and of St. Mary at York, and several families, came, in the time of Henry VIII., to the Constables, by whom it is still possessed." 4

Again, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, we found another early reference at Benningholme. " Among the chief owners of land in former times were the Constables, who had possessions in the township so early as the time of Henry III.: several of the farmhouses contain ancient remains." 4

Early History of the Constapil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Constapil research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1390, 1443, 1478, 1518, 1537, 1562, 1590, 1592, 1595, 1613, 1647, 1651, 1655, 1664, 1682, 1710 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Constapil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Constapil Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Constapil are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Constapil include Constable, Constables and others.

Early Notables of the Constapil family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Marmaduke Constable (1443-1518), English soldier; Sir Robert Constable (c. 1478-1537) of Flamborough, Sheriff of Yorkshire, executed for treason for taking part in the Pilgrimage of Grace; Sir William Constable, 1st Baronet (baptized 1590-1655), English...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Constapil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Constapil family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Constapil, or a variant listed above: Robert Constable who settled in Virginia in 1624; Sarah Constable settled in Virginia in 1656; Thomas Constable and his sister Blanche arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1683.

The Constapil 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: Semper paratus
Motto Translation: Always prepared.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.