Basturd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought many new words to England from which surnames were formed. Basturd was one of these new Norman names. It was specifically tailored to its first bearer, who was a child of illegitimate birth but such references are in jest.

Early Origins of the Basturd family

The surname Basturd was first found in Devon, where they are descended from "Robert Bastard, who held several manors in this county in the reign of William I. For several generations Efford, in the parish of Egg-Buckland, was the seat of this family. " 1

"Robert Bastard appears in Domesday Book to have had large grants in the county of Devon, and thenceforward his descendants have remained seated in that shire, where they intermarried with the heiresses of Crispin and of Killiowe, in the county of Cornwall, and into the families of Fitz-Stephen, Besilles, Damarell, Gilbert, Reynell, Hele, and Bampfylde. Their seat, for many generations, was at Garston, near Kingsbridge, until, about the end of the seventeenth century, William Bastard, Esq., by marriage with the heiress of Pollexfen, acquired the estate of Kitley, which has since been the chief family residence. " 2

"Kitley is now the chief seat of the ancient family of Bastard, which claim descent from the Robert Bastard who appears in ' Domesday' as the holder of nine manors. " 3

"In Norman times illegitimacy was not regarded with the same contempt as now. The Conqueror himself, though illegitimate, not only succeeded to his father's duchy, but frankly avowed himself as a bastard in official writings." 4

"The church [of West Alvington in Devon] contains some good screen-work in carved oak, and a beautiful monument to a member of the Bastard family, whose ancient seat has been converted into a farmhouse." 5

"There is a curious local tradition attaching to a little corner of land some acre in extent at Splatt Cove, in Salcombe Harbour [Devon]. It belongs to the Bastard family, and the legend is that their Norman ancestor had command of one of the vessels of the Conqueror's fleet, which was driven by a gale into Salcombe, and that it was upon this very spot the leader and his men landed. The retention of the land by the Bastards is ascribed by the country folk to this historical connection. Mr. Karkeek, however, has shown not only that the legend has no pedigree, but that it is inconsistent with known facts. The name of Robert the Bastard does not occur in the Battle Abbey Roll, and though he is mentioned in 'Domesday,' neither of his Devonshire manors can be connected with Splatt Cove. " 3

Early History of the Basturd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Basturd research. Another 338 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1201, 1273, 1379, 1565, 1566, 1598, 1618, 1700, 1721, 1779, 1784, 1816, 1832 and 1847 are included under the topic Early Basturd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Basturd Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bastard, Basstard, Bostard, Bosstard, Baisterd, Bestard, Bastert, Basteder and many more.

Early Notables of the Basturd family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Bastard (c. 1565-1618) an English clergyman famed for his published English language epigrams. He was born in Blandford Forum, Dorset, England and is best known for seven books of 285...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Basturd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Basturd family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Basturd or a variant listed above: Henry Bastard, who sailed to Virginia in 1657. George Bastert journeyed to Philadelphia in 1806. In Canada David Basteder was among the United Empire Loyalists who settled there in the 1780s and John Pollexfen Bastard was living in Leeds County, Ontario in 1878..

The Basturd 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: Pax potior bello
Motto Translation: Peace preferable to war.

Citations +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.