Congrieve History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Congrieve

What does the name Congrieve mean?

Congrieve is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived near a lane cut through woods or forest. The name is derived from congreave, a Old English word for such a road.

Early Origins of the Congrieve family

The surname Congrieve was first found in Staffordshire at Congreve, "where the ancestors of this house were seated soon after the Conquest." 1 Congreve is now part of Penkridge, a market town and civil parish as of 1934.

Early History of the Congrieve family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Congrieve research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1669, 1670 and 1729 are included under the topic Early Congrieve History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Congrieve Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Congrieve family name include Congreve, Congrave and others.

Early Notables of the Congrieve family

William Congreve (1670-1729), and English dramatist and poet. He was "born at Bardsey, near Leeds, where he was baptised on 10 Feb. 1669. He was the son Congreve; his mother's maiden name Browning. His grandfather, Richard Congreve, was a cavalier named for the order of the Royal Oak. The family had...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Congrieve Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Congrieve family to Ireland

Some of the Congrieve 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.

Migration of the Congrieve family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Congrieve surname or a spelling variation of the name include: John Congrave and Winifred settled in Virginia in 1635.

The Congrieve 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: Non moritur cujus fama vivat
Motto Translation: He does not die whose fame may survive.

Sources +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.