Manass History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Manass is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Manass family lived in Mesnieres a small village in France near Roen and was "granted probably temp. Rollo (c. 846-c.932) to Mainer, a Viking ancestor. It was held as half a knight's fee temp. Philip Augustus by the Abbey of Lyre. The family of Mesnieres long continued in Normandy, Ralph and Roger de Mesieres being mentioned 1198 and William de Mesieres in 1232, whose descendants continued to be of consequence till c. 1400 when the male line ceased." 1 Another source confirms the probably Norman ancestry: "From Menoir, and that from the Latin Manere, to stay or to abide. Lands granted to some military man or Baron by the king, a custom brought in by the Normans." 2

Early Origins of the Manass family

The surname Manass was first found in Northumberland where Sir Robert Manners was one of the first on record, when he held land in Northumberland in 1165, and it is suggested that the village Mannor near Lanchester in neighboring Durham was named from the family. "According to Camden and other antiquaries, this noble family had their denomination from the village of Mannor, near Lanchester, co. Durham. They were certainly influential in the northern counties, and Collins traces the name to a William de Manner, who flourished temp. William Rufus. The pedigree is deduced by him from Sir Robert de Manners, lord of Etal in Northumberland, several generations anterior to the reign of Henry III." 3 The first Sir Robert de Manners born (c. 1038) was probably born in Ethdale, Northumberland. He is the progenitor of a long list of sons with the same name.

Early History of the Manass family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Manass research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1324, 1327, 1340, 1488, 1525, 1543, 1559, 1587, 1588, 1604, 1638, 1640, 1641, 1676, 1679, 1696, 1697, 1703, 1711, 1721, 1772 and 1779 are included under the topic Early Manass History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Manass Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Manners, Maners, Manner and others.

Early Notables of the Manass family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Manners (c.1488-1543), son of the 12th Baron de Ros of Hamlake, who was created Earl of Rutland in 1525 - this was the second creation of this title, which has remained with the Manners, ever since; John Manners (c.1559-1588), the 4th Earl of Rutland and...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Manass Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Manass family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Manass or a variant listed above: Joseph Manners who settled in Virginia in 1635; Patrick Manners settled in Boston in 1847; Frederick Manners settled in Philadelphia in 1864.

The Manass 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: Pour y parvenir
Motto Translation: To accomplish it

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.