Barnstable History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


Barnstable is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Barnstable family lived in Devon, where they had been granted lands after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The name literally means of Barnstaple which is a port or market town in Devon.

Early Origins of the Barnstable family

The surname Barnstable was first found in Devon, where they had been granted lands after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Barnstable family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnstable research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barnstable History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barnstable Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Barnstable, Bastable, Bastaple, Barnstaple, Bernstaple, Bearnstable, Barnstagle, Barnstabell, Barstable and many more.

Early Notables of the Barnstable family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Migration of the Barnstable family to Ireland

Some of the Barnstable 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.


Barnstable migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, travelling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Barnstable or a variant listed above:

Barnstable Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Barnstable migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Barnstable Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Barnstable (post 1700) +


The Barnstable 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: Regardez mort
Motto Translation: Regard the dead.
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