Show ContentsMustin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Mustin family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Yorkshire. Their name is thought to be derived from the place-name, Moucon, in Normandy, although another account suggests that it is a variation of the French name Musset. Both theories are considered valid, but historians disagree on which applies to individual cases.

Early Origins of the Mustin family

The surname Mustin was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat in the large village of Muston in the East Riding of that County shown at the taking of the Domesday Book in 1068 to be held by Gilbert de Ghent (Flanders) from the King. Gilbert held the Manor at that time and, conjecturally, the family are believed to be descended from this Norman noble. The village name Muston or Musson is also believed to be related to a Norman family name of Moucon, and may have been the surname of Gilbert of Ghent (Flanders) or Gand, or a member of his family. Gilbert was one of the most highly honored Barons who assisted Duke William at Hastings in 1066. He became Baron Folkingham, possibly a nephew of Queen Matilda, and held no less than 172 English manors.

Early History of the Mustin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mustin research. Another 184 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1094, 1207, 1326, 1373, 1473 and 1509 are included under the topic Early Mustin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mustin 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 Muston, Musson, Moucon, Mussen, Mustons, Mussin, Musin, Muson, Musten, Moussen, Mousson, Mussons, Mustain, Mustin and many more.

Early Notables of the Mustin family

More information is included under the topic Early Mustin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mustin 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 Mustin name or one of its variants: James Musson, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 from England; William Musson, who arrived in New York in 1796; Hen Muston, who arrived in Virginia in 1669.


Contemporary Notables of the name Mustin (post 1700) +

  • Burton Hill "Burt" Mustin (1884-1977), American character actor who has 188 credits to his name, perhaps best known for his roles in Cat Ballou (1965), The Killers (1964) and The Thrill of It All (1963)
  • Henry Croskey Mustin (1874-1923), American pioneering naval aviator who undertook the auspicious task of establishing the first Naval Aeronautic Station, eponym of the USS Mustin (DDG-89), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer and the USS Mustin (DD-413), a Sims-class destroyer
  • J. L. Mustin, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Georgia, 1868 1


  1. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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