Curtis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
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  Ireland 
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The name Curtis reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Curtis family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Curtis is based on refined or "denoting a man of good education." 1. The name is derived from the Old French word curteis, which means refined or accomplished. 2

"William de Curtis was of Normandy, 1180; Robert Curteis gave lands to Gloucester Abbey, temp. Rufus. William le Curteis, temp. Henry II., was a benefactor to West Dereham Abbey, Norfolk." 3

Early Origins of the Curtis family

The surname Curtis was first found in Warwickshire where the name first appeared as a forename as in Curteis de Capella who was listed in the Pipe Rolls for 1130. By 1200, the Curia Regis Rolls listed Curteis de Catebr in Cambridgeshire and in Bedfordshire, Richard Curteis was found in the Pipe Rolls for 1166. The name was scattered throughout Britain since early times as Robert le Curteis was found in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1168 and Ralph le Curtoys was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1230. Up in Yorkshire, John le Korteys was listed at Kirkstall in 1238 and in Sussex, John Corties was found in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: William le Curteis in Cambridgeshire; Walter Curteys in Oxfordshire; Osbert le Curteys in Essex; Henry Corteys in Devon; and Richard le Corteys in Oxfordshire. 4 Over one hundred years later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists Adam Curtase and Johannes Cartas. 4

We found this interesting entry for one the family in the town of Lostwithiel, Cornwall: "The church contains a memorial for Tristram Curtys, Esq. who died in the year 1423. This family, which is now extinct, occasionally represented this borough from the reign of Edward I. to that of Henry V. Tristram Curtys was member for Lostwithiel in the 9th of Henry V. Leland speaks of his descendant as having 100 marks of land, between Blowgham and Penknek, by Lostwithiel. " 5

The name is "best represented in Buckinghamshire, and afterwards in Nottinghamshire. This is an ancient English name, occurring, as it does now, in Buckinghamshire, Essex, and Lincolnshire in the reign of Edward I.; it was also at that time numerous in Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. Characteristic of the south, and east of England south of the Humber." 6

Early History of the Curtis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Curtis research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1130, 1168, 1531, 1532, 1534, 1550, 1552, 1553, 1556, 1559, 1566, 1582, 1662, 1663, 1740, 1746, 1762, 1769, 1771, 1775, 1778, 1799, 1816, 1818, 1819 and 1832 are included under the topic Early Curtis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Curtis Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Curtis has been recorded under many different variations, including Curtis, Curtiss, Curtyss, Curtys, Curtess, Curtes, Cortes, Cortis and many more.

Early Notables of the Curtis family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Curtis World Ranking

In the United States, the name Curtis is the 270th most popular surname with an estimated 99,480 people with that name. 7 However, in Canada, the name Curtis is ranked the 573rd most popular surname with an estimated 8,662 people with that name. 8 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Curtis is the 200th popular surname with an estimated 210 people with that name. 9 Australia ranks Curtis as 234th with 14,625 people. 10 New Zealand ranks Curtis as 265th with 2,293 people. 11 The United Kingdom ranks Curtis as 214th with 26,880 people. 12

Migration of the Curtis family to Ireland

Some of the Curtis family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Curtis migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Curtiss were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Curtis Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Curtis Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Curtis Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Curtis Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Curtis migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Curtis Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Curtis Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Curtis migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Curtis Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Curtis 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:

Curtis Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Curtis migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 22
Curtis Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Curtis (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Curtis +
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