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Anselme is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Anselme comes from the Germanic personal name Ansell composed of the elements ans, which means god, and helm, which means protection or helmet. 1
The surname Anselme was first found in the English county of Kent where they were granted lands shortly after the Norman Conquest by King William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. The family is believed to be descended from Pierre Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, Ansell being the abbreviation adopted by most branches of this noble Norman family who accompanied the Conqueror into England.
Saint Anselm of Aosta (c. 1033-1109), was a theologian, Abbot of Bec, and Archbishop of Canterbury. He was "born at or near Aosta about the year 1033, or two years before the death of Cnut, king of England, and two years before William the Conqueror became duke of Normandy. William the Conqueror received his death-wound in 1087. In the presence of Anselm we are told that he who to most men seemed harsh and terrible became so mild that bystanders looked on with amazement. " 2
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Anselme research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1660, 1689 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Anselme History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Anselme 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 Anselme include Ansell, Ancell, Ancelle, Anselm, Anselme, Anstrell and many more.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Anselme Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In France, the name Anselme is the 3,732nd most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 3
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 Anselme, or a variant listed above: