Cuerton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Cuerton date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Cuerton family lived in the township of Cuerden, which is in the parish of Leyland in the county of Lancashire. The surname Cuerton belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

The Kearton variant hails from the hamlet so named in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire. 1 This place dates back to the 13th century when it was known as Karretan and possibly meant "farmstead of a man called Kaerir," a Viking personal name. 2

Early Origins of the Cuerton family

The surname Cuerton was first found in Lancashire in the village and civil parish of Cuerden in the Borough of Chorley. The village has remained small over the years as a recent census showed only 77 people living there. The place name derives its name from the Welsh word cerdin.

Roger the Poitevin (Roger de Poitou), born in Normandy originally held the lands shortly after the Conquest. Cuerden Hall is a country mansion built around 1717 on a site of a previous manor home.

Early History of the Cuerton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cuerton research. Another 44 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1568, 1572, 1581, 1601, 1604, 1608, 1620, 1636, 1642, 1655 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Cuerton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cuerton Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Cuerton are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Cuerton include: Cuerden, Cuerton and others.

Early Notables of the Cuerton family

Distinguished members of the family include John Cuerden a prominent landholder in 17th century Lancashire. Sir William Courten or Curteene (1572-1636), was an English merchant, the son of William Courten, by his wife Margaret Casiere, and was born in London in 1572. A younger brother, born in 1581, was named Peter. Their father was son of a tailor of Menin and a protestant. After enduring much persecution at the hands of the Spaniards, he escaped to...
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cuerton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cuerton migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Cuerton or a variant listed above:

Cuerton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Cuerton who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1880

Contemporary Notables of the name Cuerton (post 1700) +

Ann Cuerton Davies (1934-2022), English actress and wife of actor Richard Briers until his death in February 2013, mother of actress Lucy Briers and Katie Briers, known for Summer Comedy Hour (1965), The Sculptress (1996) and Peter's Friends (1992)

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)