Sutton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


Sutton is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Sutton family lived in Somerset, at Sutton Montague.

Early Origins of the Sutton family

The surname Sutton was first found in Nottinghamshire where they were descended from Dreu de Montaigu who came into England at the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D. in the train of the Count of Mortain. His first seat was at Sutton Montague in Somerset, and the family later acquired Sutton upon Trent near Tuxford in Nottingham, where they became Lords of the manor and the Barons Dudley.

"Sutton-upon-Trent gave name to this ancient family, the first upon record being Roland, son of Hervey, who lived in the reign of Henry III., and married Alice, daughter and coheiress of Richard de Lexington." 1

There are countless listings of the place name throughout Britain in the Domesday Book with various spellings due to the literal meaning of the name "south farmstead or village." 2 The parish Averham in Nottinghamshire was an ancient family seat.

"At the time of the siege of Newark, many skirmishes occurred here; and in 1644, the ancient manor-house, then belonging to Robert Sutton, Lord Lexington and Baron of Averham, and which had been the residence of the family from 1250, was destroyed." 3

However, the church in Averham and Kelham still hold many relics and several ancient memorials to the Suttons. Some of the church windows date back to 1220. On the south wall is a mural monument, adorned with cherubs and armorial bearings, to the memory of the Right Hon. Robert Lord Lexington, having descended from "ye ancient family of ye Suttons." 3

Kelham Hall has been the present family seat since it was built in the 1860s.

Early History of the Sutton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sutton research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1310, 1342, 1359, 1380, 1381, 1382, 1383, 1384, 1385, 1386, 1388, 1391, 1394, 1397, 1399, 1400, 1401, 1406, 1414, 1425, 1428, 1440, 1460, 1483, 1487, 1532, 1594, 1625, 1640 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Sutton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sutton 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. Sutton has been recorded under many different variations, including Sutton, Suton, Suttone and others.

Early Notables of the Sutton family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sutton World Ranking

In the United States, the name Sutton is the 283rd most popular surname with an estimated 94,506 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Sutton is ranked the 703rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,527 people with that name. 5 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Sutton is the 248th popular surname with an estimated 178 people with that name. 6 Australia ranks Sutton as 194th with 16,625 people. 7 New Zealand ranks Sutton as 148th with 3,333 people. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Sutton as 209th with 27,166 people. 9

Migration of the Sutton family to Ireland

Some of the Sutton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Sutton 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. Suttons were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Sutton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Sutton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Sutton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Sutton migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

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

Sutton migration to Australia +

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

Sutton Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Sutton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Sutton 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:

Sutton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Sutton 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. 20
Sutton Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Sutton (post 1700) +


The Sutton 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: Pour y parvenir
Motto Translation: To accomplish it.


Suggested Readings for the name Sutton +
Fastest Delivery Possible

Digital Products on Checkout, all other products filled in 1 business day

Money Back Guarantee

Yes, all products 100% Guraranteed

BBB A+ Rating

The Best Rating possible

Secure Online Payment

Entire site uses SSL / Secure Certificate