Vane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The surname Vane is derived from the Middle English words "fein," "fayn," or " fane," which all mean "glad." The name was a nickname for a happy or good-natured person. The name could also have been a local name derived from the expression "at the van" or in other words near the "threshing-floor" derived from the word "van" which was a threshing instrument.
Early Origins of the Vane family
The surname Vane was first found in Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy), where the ancestors of the earls of Westmorland, "wrote their name Vane, and descended from Howel ap Vane, living there before the time of William the Conqueror" 1 living about the year 1060.
Another reference states: "The Fanes or Vanes are said to have originated from Wales; in the reign of Henry VI, they were seated at Hilden in Tunbridge, in Kent, by marriage with the Peshalls." 2
Early History of the Vane family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vane research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1589, 1602, 1613, 1616, 1625, 1626, 1629, 1639, 1645, 1653, 1655, 1662, 1663, 1666, 1680, 1681, 1682, 1689, 1693, 1708, 1710, 1715, 1721, 1723, 1727 and 1734 are included under the topic Early Vane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Vane Spelling Variations
There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Vane have included Fane, Ap Fane, Fain, Vane, Vain, Veynes, Vanes and others.
Early Notables of the Vane family
Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was
- Sir Henry Vane the Elder (1589-1655), English courtier, father of Henry Vane the Younger
- Sir Henry Vane the Younger (1613-1662), statesman, Puritan, son of Henry Vane the Elder
- William Vane, 1st Viscount Vane (1682-1734), a British Whig politician, Member of Parliament for County Durham (1708-1710), for Steyning (1727-1734) and for Kent in 1734
Migration of the Vane family to Ireland
Some of the Vane 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.
Vane migration to the United States +
Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Vane were found:
Vane Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Sir Henry Vane (1613-1662) arrived in Boston in 1635, was the governor of Massachusetts in 1636 and returned to England in 1637, where he became a Member of Parliament
- Henry Vane, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635 3
Vane Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- William Vane, who landed in Virginia in 1711 3
Vane Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- James Vane, aged 29, who landed in New York in 1812 3
- Moses Vane, aged 35, who arrived in New York in 1812 3
- David Vane, aged 65, who landed in New York in 1812 3
Vane 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:
Vane Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- R L Vane, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Essex
Contemporary Notables of the name Vane (post 1700) +
- Norman Thaddeus Vane (1928-2015), American screenwriter, producer, playwright and film director, known for his work on Lola (1970), Shadow of the Hawk (1976) and Frightmare (1983)
- Z. A. Vane, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Washington, 1940 4
- Ridgely Vane, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Delaware, 1960 4
- Sir John Robert Vane FRS (1927-2004), British pharmacologist who was instrumental in the understanding of how Aspirin produces pain-relief and anti-inflammatory effects, co-awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1982
- Charles Stewart Vane -Tempest-Stewart KG, GCVO, PC, DL, JP, (1852-1915), 6th Marquess of Londonderry, British Conservative politician, landowner and benefactor, Lord President of the Council (1903-1905)
- Charles Stewart Henry Vane -Tempest-Stewart KG, MVO, PC, PC (1878-1949), 7th Marquess of Londonderry, British peer, First Commissioner of Works (1928-1929), Secretary of State for Air (1931-1935), Leader of the House of Lords in 1935
- John Vane (1842-1906), Australian bushranger, member of the Frank Gardiner-Ben Hall gang; sentenced to 15 years in prison, paroled after 6 years
- Henry de Vere Vane FSA, JP, Hon. DCL (1854-1918), 9th Baron Barnard, a British peer and Senior Freemason
- Christopher William Vane CMG, OBE, MC, TD (1888-1964), 10th Baron Barnard, a British peer and military officer, son of Henry de Vere Vane, 9th Baron Barnard
- Henry John Neville Vane TD, JP, DL (b. 1923), 11th Baron Barnard, a British peer, Lord Lieutenant of Durham (1970-1988), son of Christopher Vane, 10th Baron Barnard
- ... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The Vane 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: Ne vile fano
Motto Translation: Bring nothing base to the template.
Citations +
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html