Clephane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

England

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The earliest origins of the name Clephane date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The name is derived from Osgoode Clapa who was a nobleman of Danish or Saxon origin. As a man of noble worth he attended the Court of King Canute. Another possible origin of the surname Clephane may be an extension of the Old English Clop which meant lump. It was often applied as a nickname to someone who was large and ungainly. Essentially the surname Clephane was adopted from Clepan in Sussex which in turn came form Osgoode Clappa. It was adopted in England as a surname only after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Early Origins of the Clephane family

The surname Clephane was first found in Lauderdale where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Clephane family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clephane research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clephane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clephane Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Clephane include Clephane, Clepane, Clepan, Cleppin and others.

Early Notables of the Clephane family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Richard Clephane, Canon of Aberdeen

Migration of the Clephane family to Ireland

Some of the Clephane 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.

Clephane migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Clephane or a variant listed above:

Clephane Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

David Clephane, who landed in Virginia in 1710 1

Clephane Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Clephane, who arrived in Norfolk, Va in 1817 1
James Clephane who settled in Norfolk Virginia in 1817

Clephane migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Clephane Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Clephane, (b. 1817), aged 39, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 2
Mrs. Wilhelmina Clephane, (b. 1818), aged 38, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 2
Mr. Alexander Clephane, (b. 1839), aged 17, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 2
Miss Alexiana Clephane, (b. 1851), aged 5, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 2
Miss Catharine Clephane, (b. 1853), aged 3, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Clephane (post 1700) +

James Ogilvie Clephane (1842-1910), American court reporter and venture capitalist, known as the "father of the linotype machine"
Lewis Clephane, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from District of Columbia, 1856; Postmaster at Washington, District of Columbia, 1861-63 3
John Clephane M.D. (b. 1758), Scottish physician, Fellow of the Royal Society in 1749 4
Elizabeth Cecelia Douglas Clephane (1830-1869), Scottish author of the hymns "Beneath the Cross of Jesus" and "The Ninety and Nine"

The Clephane 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: Ut sim paratior
Motto Translation: That I may be the better prepared.