Cursum Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The name Cursum was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Cursum family lived in Derbyshire. The family originally lived in Notre Dame de Curson in Calvados, Normandy, and it is from this location that their name derives.

Cursum Early Origins

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The surname Cursum was first found in Derbyshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Curzon. Geraldine (Giraline) arrived in England with William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D., and attended him at Hastings. Geraldine came from Notre Dame de Curson in Calvados in Normandy. By 1086, the taking of the Domesday Book survey, his son Hubert had also acquired the lands of West Lockinge in Berkshire. The family also continued in Normandy and Hubert was the Lord of Curson in 1223. Kedleston Hall in Kedleston, Derbyshire is one of the most well known family seats the Curzon family who have held the estate since 1297. Today it is a National Trust property. "The large and elegant mansion of Farnah Hall [in Duffield, Derbyshire], a seat of the Curzon family, stands in a fine park, near the Wirksworth road."

Cursum Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Curzon, Curson, Cursone, Courson, Courzon and others.

Cursum Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cursum research. Another 247 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1609, 1599, 1686, 1640, 1648, 1611, 1682, 1657, 1727, 1678, 1750, 1687 and 1765 are included under the topic Early Cursum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cursum Early Notables (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Curzon of Kedleston Hall, High Sheriff of Derbyshire (1609); and his son, Sir John Curzon, 1st Baronet (c.1599-1686), an English politician, Member of Parliament for...

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cursum Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Cursum or a variant listed above: Pierre Courson who settled in Louisiana in 1719.

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: Let Curzon holde what Curzon helde
Motto Translation: Let Curzon hold what Curzon held

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Citations

^ Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Other References

Library of Congress. American and English Genealogies in the Library of Congress. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin . Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8).
Burke, Sir Bernard. Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, The Privy Council, Knightage and Compainonage. London: Burke Publishing, 1921. Print.
Robb H. Amanda and Andrew Chesler. Encyclopedia of American Family Names. New York: Haper Collins, 1995. Print. (ISBN 0-06-270075-8).
Zieber, Eugene. Heraldry in America. Philadelphia: Genealogical Publishing Co. Print.
Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Galveston Texas 1896-1951. National Archives Washington DC. Print.
Cook, Chris. English Historical Facts 1603-1688. London: MacMillan, 1980. Print.
Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 Edited by Samuel Eliot Morrison 2 Volumes. New York: Russell and Russell, 1968. Print.
Dunkling, Leslie. Dictionary of Surnames. Toronto: Collins, 1998. Print. (ISBN 0004720598).
Leeson, Francis L. Dictionary of British Peerages. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1986. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-1121-5).
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The Cursum Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Cursum Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 8 April 2016 at 13:20.