Mansavil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Mansavil was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mansavil family lived in Mandeville, near Valognes, Cotentin, Normandy. In Mandeville, the Norman Mansavil family were nobles who possessed a castle and vast estates. 1

"Upon the first arrival in England of the Conqueror, there was amongst his companions a famous soldier, called Geffray de Magnavil, so designated from the town of Magnavil in the Duchy of Normandy, who obtained as his share in the spoil of conquest, divers fair and wide spreading domains in the counties of Berks, Suffolk, Middlesex, Surrey, Oxford, Cambridge, Harts, Northampton, Warwick, and Essex. The grandson of this richly gifted noble, another Geoffrey de Mandeville, was advanced by King Stephen to the Earldom of Essex." 2

Early Origins of the Mansavil family

The surname Mansavil was first found in Wiltshire where they were anciently granted lands by William Duke of Normandy for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Geoffrey (Goisfrid) de Mandeville (c.1100) was an important Domesday tenant-in-chief; he was granted large estates in Essex, and in ten other shires by William, and was Constable of the Tower of London. 3

They were granted no less than 118 Lordships after the Conquest. William's descendent Geoffrey de Mandeville (d. 1144,) was created the 1st Earl of Essex, a title which became extinct in the 12th century after the death of the 3rd Earl.

The chief seat of the Mandevilles was at Walden in Essex, but many junior lines abounded. "Jehan de Mandeville", translated as "Sir John Mandeville", was noted as the compiler of a singular book of supposed travels, written in Anglo-Norman French, published between 1357 and 1371. They were Lords of the Manor of Earl's Stoke, in Wiltshire and also were granted lands in Devon.

Early rolls proved their widespread influence. Ernulf de Mandeuill was recorded in the Pipe Rolls for Wiltshire in 1158 and later, William de Manevell was found in Berkshire in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1210. Willaim de Manewell was registered in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Nigel de Manderville, Berkshire; and Ernald de Maundeville, Suffolk. 5

The Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I listed Walter de Maundevill, Kent, 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of King Edward I's reign.) 6

Early History of the Mansavil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mansavil research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1189, 1357, 1371, 1670 and 1733 are included under the topic Early Mansavil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mansavil 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 Mansville, Manvell, Mandeville, Magneville, Magnevilla, Manville, Mannevill, Manneville, Mandevile, Mansvile, Mansville, Mandevill, Manvill, Mansvill, Mansvil, Mandevil, Mandervil, Mandervill, Manderville, Mandavile, Mandavil, Mandavill, Mandaville, Mandavall, Mandavalle, Mandaval, Mandvill, Mandville, Mandvil and many more.

Early Notables of the Mansavil family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was "Jehan de Mandeville", better known as "Sir John Mandeville", (fl. 1357), English knight born at St. Albans, who complied "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville," a book account of his supposed travels throughout Europe published between 1357 and 1371; William de Mandeville (d. 1189), 3rd Earl...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mansavil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mansavil family to Ireland

Some of the Mansavil family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mansavil 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 Mansavil or a variant listed above: Gillis Mandeville, who settled in New York in 1659; Miss Mandeville settled in Barbados in 1774; Mary Mandeville settled in Maryland in 1738. In Newfoundland, Canada, Patrick Mandavile from Clonmell, Tipperary, was married in St. John's in 1805.

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)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)