Langston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Langston is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived in Lincolnshire. However, there are numerous villages and civil parishes named "Langton" throughout England including locals in Leicestershire, North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Durham, Kent and Dorset. This is large part due to the fact that the place name literally translates as "long farmstead or estate," having derived from the Old English words "lang" + "tun." 1 Some are listed in the Domesday Book of 1086: Lang(e)tone (Leicestershire); Langeton (North Yorkshire - now Great Langton); and Terlintone (Leicetershire - now Tur Langton.) 2 The oldest place name recorded was Langton Durham which was listed as Langadum c. 1050 eluding to it's Saxon origin.
Early Origins of the Langston family
The surname Langston was first found in Lincolnshire at Langton by Spilsby, sometimes called Langton by Partney, a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district. The parish of Langton is nearby. "This parish, which has been the residence of the Langton family for more than seven centuries." 3 One of the earliest records of the name was Cardinal Stephen Langton (c.1150-1228), who was Archbishop of Canterbury (1207 until death in 1228.) He was a critical player in the dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III, which ultimately led to the issuing of Magna Carta in 1215. A manor which has remained to the present day in the inheritance of this house can be found at Langton by Spilsby. 4 Walter de Langton (1296-1321), Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, Lord High Treasurer of England, and a favourite of Edward I. was born in Langton West.
Another branch of the family was found at Woolstone in Lancashire. "In the 20th of Edward I., John Byrun claimed free warren here in right of his wife Alesia, heiress of Robert Banastre. This lady was afterwards married to Sir John Langton, whose descendant, John Langton, in the reign of Edward III. held Wolueston as Baron of Makerfield. How long the property continued in this family does not appear, but it seems to have been alienated anterior to the reign of Philip and Mary." 3
Early History of the Langston family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Langston research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1207, 1215, 1227, 1228, 1248, 1279, 1305, 1337, 1501, 1614, 1622, 1625, 1626, 1645, 1648, 1659, 1698 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Langston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Langston Spelling Variations
Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Langston family name include Langton, Langston and others.
Early Notables of the Langston family
Distinguished members of the family include
- Anthony Langston was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Evesham (1614-1622) and (1625-1626)
Langston Ranking
In the United States, the name Langston is the 1,589th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 5
Migration of the Langston family to Ireland
Some of the Langston 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.
Langston migration to the United States +
For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Langston surname or a spelling variation of the name include :
Langston Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- John Langston, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 6
- An Langston, who landed in Virginia in 1665 6
- Thomas Langston, who landed in Maryland in 1677 6
- Mary Langston, aged 14, who landed in Virginia in 1684 6
Langston Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Robert Langston, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 6
Langston migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Langston Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. Rober Langston, English convict who was convicted in Westminster, London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Duncan" on 10th December 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Langston 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:
Langston Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. H. Langston, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1860 8
- William Langston, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865
- Martha Langston, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865
- Mary Ann Langston, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865
- Alice Langston, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Langston (post 1700) +
- John Mercer Langston (1829-1897), American abolitionist, civil rights pioneer, first African American member of Congress, eponym of Langston, Oklahoma and Langston University
- Grant Langston (b. 1966), American singer-songwriter
- Charles Henry Langston (1817-1892), American abolitionist and political activist, he and his brother Gideon were the first African Americans to attend Oberlin College in Ohio in 1835, an older brother of John Mercer Langston
- Wann Langston Jr. (1921-2013), American paleontologist and former professor at the University of Texas at Austin
- Mark Langston (b. 1960), American four-time All-star, seven-time Gold Glove Award winning Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1984 to 1999
- Mrs. T. H. Langston, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 1948 9
- Linda Langston, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 2004 9
- John Mercer Langston (1829-1897), American Republican politician, U.S. Minister to Haiti, 1877-85; U.S. Consul General in Port-au-Prince, 1877-85; U.S. Charge d'Affaires to Santo Domingo, 1883-85 9
- J. Luther Langston, American politician, Printer; Delegate to Socialist National Convention from Oklahoma, 1920; Candidate for U.S. Representative from Oklahoma 5th District, 1920 9
- David R. Langston, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Texas State Senate 28th District, 1996, 1996 9
- ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The Langston 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: Loyal au mort
Motto Translation: Faithful unto death.
Suggested Readings for the name Langston +
- Landon (also Langston) Family History by Joy Deal Lehmann.
- Langstons and their Kin by Inez M. McClellan.
Citations +
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duncan
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html