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![Show Contents]() Coourcey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Irish already had a system for creating hereditary surnames established when the followers of Strongbow settled in eastern Ireland. Although there was relatively little friction between the two systems because they operated according to very similar principles, the Strongbownians frequently used local surnames. In Ireland, local surnames were almost unheard of, but in England they were probably the most common form of hereditary surname. Local surnames, such as Coourcey, were taken from the name of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. The surname Coourcey is derived from in the settlement of Coursi in Normandy. The surname Coourcey belongs to the large category of Anglo-Norman habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The Gaelic form of the surname Coourcey is de Cúrsa. Early Origins of the Coourcey familyThe surname Coourcey was first found in County Cork (Irish: Corcaigh) the ancient Kingdom of Deis Muin (Desmond), located on the southwest coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, in Ireland, where this noble family claim descent from Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, King of France, who died in 814. Descended was Balderic Teutonicus, Earl of Brion in Normandy, who had six sons. The third son was Robert de Courcy, Lord of Courcy in Normandy. His son, Richard, was at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. and was granted Stoke-Courcy in Somerset, and other lands. His son John De Courcy, Baron of Stoke Courcy, was created Earl of Ulster by King Henry II for his assistance in conquering the province of Ulster, but Sir John was deprived of his Earldom by King John, who confined him to the Tower of London for one year and granted Ulster to Hugh de Lacie. His son Miles De Courcy, would move to Ireland where he was made the 1st Baron of Kingsale, County Cork. 1 Patrick de Courcy was appointed Justiciar of Ireland in 1221. 2 Early History of the Coourcey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coourcey research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1098, 1160, 1172, 1176, 1181, 1182, 1210, 1219, 1664 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Coourcey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Coourcey Spelling VariationsMedieval scribes and church officials spelt names simply the way they sounded, which explains the various name spelling variations of the name Coourcey that were encountered when researching that surname. The many spelling variations included: Courcy, Courcey, Courcie, Curcy, Cursie, Curcie and many more. Early Notables of the Coourcey familyNotable amongst the family up to this time was Sir Richard de Courcy (died 1098) ; John de Courcy (1160-1219), an Anglo-Norman knight who arrived in Ireland in 1176...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Coourcey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Coourcey familyDuring the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Coourcey: Henry DeCourcy, on record in Maryland in 1634. Others include: William de Courcy, a Jacobite was sent to Maryland in 1763; James Courcey, an enforced emigrant from Ireland to America in 1739.
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: Vincit omnia veritas
Motto Translation: Truth conquers all things.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
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Ireland
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