Cavindidge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Cavindidge is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Cavindidge family lived in Suffolk where Gernon de Montfichet was granted the lands of Cavendish by Duke William of Normandy. 1

"The descent of the Cavendish family from Gernon has been disputed, but (as I intend to show) without reason. The Gernons were a branch of the Barons of Montfichet, Montfiquet, or Montfiket in Normandy, so named after their Scandinavian ancestor. The castle of Montfichet long remained, as well as the Church of St. Catherine in the castle, a foundation of this family. About 1050 Robert, surnamed Guernon (moustache), Baron of Montfichet, witnessed a charter of Duke William (Gall. Christ. xi. Instr. 229). He had issue, 1, William de Montfichet, who d. s. p., when the barony devolved on William, the son of his brother; 2, Robert Guernon or Gernon, who held a great barony in Essex, &c., 1086. From his elder son William de Montfichet descended the Barons of that name, whose seats were at Stanstead Montfichet, Essex, and Montfichet Tower, London, of which city the Montfichets were hereditary standard-bearers or military chiefs in time of war. The younger branches retained the name of Gernon. Alured Gernon, brother of William de Montfichet, had estates in Essex and Middlesex 1130 (Rot. Pip.). Matthew, his son, 1135 witnessed a charter of William Montfichet (Mon. i. 803). Ralph, his son, 1165, held a fief from Montfichet in Essex, and was granted Bakewell, Derbyshire, by Richard I. (Testa de Neville). He had Ralph G., founder of Lees Priory, Essex, father of William G., who had two sons : l, Ralph, ancestor of a line of Gernon frequently mentioned in Essex, Suffolk, and Derby, and which long continued; 2, Geoffry. Geoffry, surnamed de Cavendish from his residence at Cavendish, Suffolk, appears in 1302 as bailsman with Walter de Cavendish, his son, for certain citizens of London who had been charged with the unlawful possession of some crown jewels." 2

Early Origins of the Cavindidge family

The surname Cavindidge was first found in Suffolk, when Gernon de Montfichet was granted the lands of Cavendish by Duke William of Normandy, his liege lord, for distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. The Montfichets from Montfiquet, Calvados, in Normandy, sired the family of Cavendish, Bacon, Fitchet, and Montfitchet.

The family trace their lineage back to "Sir John Canvendish, who in the reign of Edward III was Chief Justice of the King's Bench. It was John, a younger son of the Judge, who killed Wat Tyler, and from him the family are descended." 3

"Chief Justice Cavendish had a tragic end. He was beheaded in the market place of Bury, during an insurrection in 1382." 4

Early History of the Cavindidge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cavindidge research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1384, 1592, 1594, 1599, 1601, 1617, 1623, 1624, 1630, 1654, 1659, 1660, 1673, 1674, 1675, 1676, 1680, 1684, 1691, 1695, 1700 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Cavindidge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cavindidge Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Cavendish, Cavendesh, Cavandish, Cavondish, Cavindish, Caviness and many more.

Early Notables of the Cavindidge family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Cavendish (d. 1592), a British circumnavigator of the globe, often regarded as a privateer; Sir William Cavendish (1592-1676), 4th Duke of Norcastle, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a prominent soldier, writer, and noted patron of the arts; Sir Charles Cavendish (ca. 1594-1654), an English aristocrat, Member of Parliament, and patron of Philosophers and mathematicians; Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, KG, PC (1630-1691), English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1676; William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire (c.1617-1684), an English nobleman, Royalist supporter; Margaret Cavendish, (1624-1674), the...
Another 105 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cavindidge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cavindidge family to Ireland

Some of the Cavindidge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cavindidge family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Cavindidge or a variant listed above: Margaret Cavendish, who settled in New England in 1752; Michael Cavendish, who immigrated to New Brunswick in 1847; Alexander Cavendish, who came to New Orleans in 1849.

The Cavindidge 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: Cavendo tutus
Motto Translation: Safe by being cautious.

Citations +

Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3