Sanne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The surname Sanne is a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. Sanne comes from the Norman personal name Samson. As with the French version of the name, the root name Sanson or Samson is an Old French name given to "a Welsh bishop (fl. 550) who crossed over to Brittany and founded the abbey of Dol where he was buried and venerated as a saint. Whether his name is the Biblical Samson or one of Celtic origin is uncertain. Probably from Saint-Samson (Seine-Inférieure), or from Saint-Samson (Calvados), Saint-Samson-de-Bonfosse (La Manche) or Saint-Samson-de-la-Roque (Eure)." 1

Early Origins of the Sanne family

The surname Sanne was first found in Gloucestershire, but the family was quickly scattered throughout Britain as they claim descendancy from "De St. Sampson, from the lordship near Caen, Normandy. Ralph de St. Sansom accompanied the Conqueror, and [by] 1086 held estates in several counties. William Sampson, his descendant, was summoned to Parliament as a Baron 1297-1304. " 2

"A well-known monastery near Rouen was built by the Archbishop of Dol, known as St. Sansone or St. Sampson." 3

Sanson is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, but the entry does not list what county. 4 As a forename, Samson, Sansone, Sampson Takel was listed in Lincolnshire and Samson Cornuwala was found in Yorkshire c. 1170. The Pipe Rolls of 1130 for Nottinghamshire lists Hugo Samson as holding lands there at that time. In Lancashire, Philip Sampson was listed there in 1192 and in Somerset, we found Hemericus Samsun in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1221. 1

"The name was popular in Yorkshire and the eastern counties where it was introduced by the Bretons after the Conquest, and also in the Welsh border counties where it no doubt came from Wales." 1

Interestingly, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 includes only entries for the name as a forename: Sansum le Rus, Cambridgeshire; Samson de Baterford, Bedfordshire; and Sampson de Boxe, Wiltshire. 3

Samsom (died 1112), was and English divine, Bishop of Worcester, born at Douvres near Caen, was the son of Osbert and Muriel, who were of noble lineage.

Samsom (1135-1211), was Abbot of St. Edmund's, born at Tottington, near Thetford in Norfolk. "When nine years old he was taken by his mother on a pilgrimage to St. Edmund's. 'As a poor clerk,' he received gratuitous instruction from a schoolmaster named William of Diss. " 5

Early History of the Sanne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sanne research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1112, 1517, 1554, 1589, 1590, 1600, 1612, 1627, 1629, 1636, 1667, 1668, 1680, 1700, 1736, 1756, 1769 and 1777 are included under the topic Early Sanne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sanne Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Sanne are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Sanne include Sampson, Samson and others.

Early Notables of the Sanne family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Nicolas Sanson (1600-1667), a French cartographer of Scottish descent; William Sampson (1590?-1636?), an English dramatist from Retford, Nottinghamshire; and his son, Henry Sampson (1629?-1700), an English nonconformist minister and physician. Born at South Leverton, Nottinghamshire, and after the Restoration, he preached for some time privately at Framlingham, and founded an independent congregation, which still exists. Turning to medicine, he studied at Padua and at Leyden, where he graduated M.D. on 12 July 1668. He practised in London, and was admitted an honorary fellow of the College of Physicians on 30 Sept. 1680. 5Richard...
Another 100 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sanne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sanne family to Ireland

Some of the Sanne 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.

Migration of the Sanne family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Sanne, or a variant listed above: Henry Sampson (Samson) arrived on the "Mayflower" in 1620; Edward Sampson settled in Virginia in 1653; James Sampson settled in Virginia in 1638.

The Sanne 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: Pejus letho flagitium
Motto Translation: Disgrace is worse than Death.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print