Show ContentsHorncastle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Horncastle came to England with the ancestors of the Horncastle family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Horncastle family lived in Lincolnshire, as Lords of the Manor of Horncastle, from where they took their name.

Early Origins of the Horncastle family

The surname Horncastle was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Horncastle, anciently known as Horncastre. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book, [1] a survey of England initiated by Duke William of Normandy in 1086 A.D., the village of Horncastle was held by the King as overlord and consisted of two Mills and a village. It stands on the site of the original Roman town of Banovallum, which still shows part of the walls and bastions. "Its present name is evidently a corruption of Hyrncastre, as it was denominated by the Saxons; from hyrn, an angle or corner (the town being situated within an angle formed by the confluence of the rivers Bane and Waring), and castrum, a fort or castle. " [2]

Early History of the Horncastle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Horncastle research. Another 162 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1120, 1278 and 1650 are included under the topic Early Horncastle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Horncastle Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Horncastle, Horncassell, Horncastell, Horncasle, Horncasell, Horncastre and many more.

Early Notables of the Horncastle family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Sir John de Horncastle

Ireland Migration of the Horncastle family to Ireland

Some of the Horncastle family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Horncastle migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Horncastle or a variant listed above:

Horncastle Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Richard Horncastle, listed in the New York Colonial muster rolls for 1759

RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. William Alfred Horncastle, English Trimmer from Mile End, London, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking [3]


The Horncastle 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: Audaces fortuna juvat
Motto Translation: Fortune favours the bold.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


Houseofnames.com on Facebook