Castellane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Germany

Etymology of Castellane

What does the name Castellane mean?

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Castellane family name to the British Isles. They lived in Yorkshire. The family was originally from Chastelai, Normandy, and the name Castellane is derived from this place-name.

Early Origins of the Castellane family

The surname Castellane was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Castellane family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Castellane research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1532, 1550 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Castellane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Castellane Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Casserly, Casserley, Casserlay, Castlelaw, Casserlaw, Casterline, Chastelyn, Casteldein and many more.

Early Notables of the Castellane family

More information is included under the topic Early Castellane Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Castellane family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Castellane or a variant listed above were: Patrick Casserly who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1850; as did John Casserley.

Contemporary Notables of the name Castellane (post 1700) +

Boniface Louis André de Castellane, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 1

The Castellane 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: Malo mori quam fodari
Motto Translation: I would rather die than be disgraced.

Sources +

Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Boniface Castellane. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html