Cunstaple History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Cunstaple is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is a name for a law enforcement officer of a parish. The surname is derived from the Old French word, cunestable. 1

Early Origins of the Cunstaple family

The surname Cunstaple 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 Cunstaple family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cunstaple 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 Cunstaple History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cunstaple Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Constable, Constables and others.

Early Notables of the Cunstaple 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 Cunstaple Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cunstaple family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Cunstaple name or one of its variants: 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 Cunstaple 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.