Basken History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Basken

What does the name Basken mean?

The ancestors of the Basken family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. They lived in Banff (part of the modern Grampian region), where the family has a rich history dating back many years.

Early Origins of the Basken family

The surname Basken was first found in Banffshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhanbh), former Scottish county located in the northeasterly Grampian region of Scotland, now of divided between the Council Areas of Moray and Aberdeenshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Basken family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Basken research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1653, 1672 and 1679 are included under the topic Early Basken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Basken Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Basken include Baskins, Baskens, Baskin, Basking, Basken and many more.

Early Notables of the Basken family

Basken of Orde

Basken migration to the United States +

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Basken:

Basken Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

I Albert Basken, aged 30, who arrived in Missouri in 1848 1
Albert Basken, aged 30, who arrived in Missouri in 1848 1

The Basken 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: Armis et diligentia
Motto Translation: By arms and diligence.

Sources +

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)