Vanables History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Vanables is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Vanables family lived in Venables, Normandy, "about thirty miles beyond Rouen, on the road to Paris, between St. Pierre and Vernon, standing in the centre of the neck of a peninsula formed by a bend of the Seine. The high road runs straight through this tract to the centre of the arc of the Seine, which it intersects at a point where the river bends past Pont Andeli, near the famous Château Gaillard." 1

Venables was the barony and ancient seat of the Le Veneurs, so named from their hereditary office of Veneur or Venator (Huntsman) to the Dukes of Normandy.

Early Origins of the Vanables family

The surname Vanables was first found in Cheshire where this distinguished Norman family were descended from Gilbert de Venables, from Venables, in the canton of Gaillon, near Evreu in Normandy. Walter Veneur (ancestor of Gilbert), fought at the Battle of Fords in 960 between the King of France and Richard I Duke of Normandy. 1

"But who so prominent in the group as Gaultier-le-Veneur? All the interest of the battle seemed at one juncture to be concentrated upon the Huntsman, as though he had been the sole object of the conflict. Dragged off his horse, seized by the enemy, rescued and remounted by the ready Duke on the best he had perhaps his own charger: and now, again, for the battle !" 2

"Gilbert de Venables or Gislebertus Venator, as he is entered in the Domesday Book, was one of the Palatinate barons of Hugh Lupus, in Cheshire, and has been called his nephew, although his name does not appear in the pedigree of the son of the Earl's only sister, Ralph de Meschines." 1

"The manor [of Agden] was held by a family of the same name: a moiety of it passed by female heirs to the families of Daniel and Venables; the other moiety, by purchase, to the Savages, who sold it to the family of Venables in 1619. William Venables married the heiress of the Daniels; and in 1727 the heiress of George Venables was married to Sir T. P. Chetwode, Bart., in whose family the property continues." 3

"The house of Venables bore Azure, two bars Argent [as their Coat of Arms] and was first adopted by the fifth Baron about 1253." 1

Early History of the Vanables family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vanables research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1604, 1613, 1640, 1645, 1648, 1649, 1662, 1669, 1687 and 1762 are included under the topic Early Vanables History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vanables 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 Venables, Venable and others.

Early Notables of the Vanables family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Peter Venables (1604-1669), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and 1669, supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War; and Robert Venables (c. 1613-1687), English soldier, writer and angler, known for his treatise on angling, The Experienced Angler, in 1662. He was the son of Robert Venables of Antrobus, Cheshire, by Ellen, daughter of Richard Simcox of Rudheath, and entered the parliamentary army when the civil war broke out, and served under Sir William Brereton in Cheshire and Lancashire. In 1645 Venables was governor of...
Another 120 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vanables Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Vanables 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 Vanables or a variant listed above: William and Elizabeth Venables settled in Philadelphia in 1682 with their two children; Richard Venable settled in Virginia in 1635; Daniel Venables settled in Philadelphia in 1833.

The Vanables 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: Venabulis Vinco
Motto Translation: I conquer with hunting-spears.

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Palgrave, Sir Francis F.R.S., F.S.A. History of the Anglo-Saxons. London: William Tegg, 1871, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.