Constabill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Constabill is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a law enforcement officer of a parish. The surname is derived from the Old French word, cunestable. 1

Early Origins of the Constabill family

The surname Constabill was first found in Yorkshire where the family descend from Robert de Laci, whose ancestors had been constables of Chester under the celebrated Hugh Lupus temp. William the Conqueror. 2

The first records of the family include: Richard Constabl' who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire in 1130 and Alice Cunestabl' who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1200. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Jordan Constabul in Northumberland; and Clemens le Constable in Kent. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Margareta Constabille and Richard Constabularius. 3

The parish of Melton-Constable is of great significance to the family. "This place is of great antiquity, and at the time of the Domesday Survey was granted to the bishops of Thetford, of whom it was held by Roger de Lyons, whose descendants assumed the name of Constable, from the office which they held under the see." 4

Wassand in the East Riding of Yorkshire was home to another branch of the family. " It is called in Domesday Book Wadsande, and after passing through the abbeys of Meaux and of St. Mary at York, and several families, came, in the time of Henry VIII., to the Constables, by whom it is still possessed." 4

Again, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, we found another early reference at Benningholme. " Among the chief owners of land in former times were the Constables, who had possessions in the township so early as the time of Henry III.: several of the farmhouses contain ancient remains." 4

Early History of the Constabill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Constabill research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1390, 1443, 1478, 1518, 1537, 1562, 1590, 1592, 1595, 1613, 1647, 1651, 1655, 1664, 1682, 1710 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Constabill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Constabill Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Constabill were recorded, including Constable, Constables and others.

Early Notables of the Constabill family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Marmaduke Constable (1443-1518), English soldier; Sir Robert Constable (c. 1478-1537) of Flamborough, Sheriff of Yorkshire, executed for treason for taking part in the Pilgrimage of Grace; Sir William Constable, 1st Baronet (baptized 1590-1655), English...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Constabill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Constabill family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Constabill arrived in North America very early: Robert Constable who settled in Virginia in 1624; Sarah Constable settled in Virginia in 1656; Thomas Constable and his sister Blanche arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1683.

The Constabill 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: Semper paratus
Motto Translation: Always prepared.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.