Cussak History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEtymology of CussakWhat does the name Cussak mean? When the Anglo-Normans began to settle in Ireland, they brought the tradition of local surnames to an island which already had a Gaelic naming system of hereditary surnames established. Unlike the Irish, the Anglo-Normans had an affinity for local surnames. Local surnames, such as Cussak, were formed from the name of a place or a geographical landmark. Often, these place names were prefixed by "de," which means "from" in French: in later years, the prefix sometimes became joined to the name, or was sometimes dropped. The Cussak family name is thought to have come from any of several places named Cussac in France; such as Cussac in Guienne (Guyenne), Cussac in Limousin, or from Cussac in Auvergne. These place names are thought to derive from Cucius or Cussius, a Romano-Gallic personal name, along with the suffix "-acum." After the name came to Ireland, it took on the Gaelic form Ciomhsóg. However, in the county of Clare, the Gaelic form of the name is Mac Iosóg. Early Origins of the Cussak familyThe surname Cussak was first found in County Meath (Irish: An Mhí) anciently part of the kingdom of Brega, located in Eastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where Jeoffrey Le Cusack was first recorded. He was named after a town of that name in France and came to Ireland shortly after the English invasion. Adam Cusack, his grandson "slew William Barret and his brothers in Connaught, on account of a quarrel about lands " in 1282. 1 Walter de Cusack (c.1270- 1334) was an Anglo-Irish judge, magnate and military commander of the fourteenth century. He was a younger son of Sir Andrew Cusack of Gerrardstown, County Meath. Nicholas Cusack, Bishop of Kildare (1279-1299), was a cousin. Another reference has a slightly different twist on the origin in France. In this reference, the name "is derived from a place in Guienne, France, and was first anglicized as de Cussac." 2 Whichever origin is true, the occurrence of the name in England was indeed rare. Early History of the Cussak familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cussak research. Another 194 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1211, 1280, 1300, 1409, 1415, 1490, 1496, 1541, 1542, 1550, 1551, 1571, 1687, 1770, 1788 and 1861 are included under the topic Early Cussak History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cussak Spelling VariationsMedieval scribes and church officials often spelled the name Cussak as it sounded to them. As a result, the name Cussak, over the ages, has attained many spelling variations including Cusack, Cusacke, Cussack, Cossack, Cosack, Cewsack, Ceusack, Cowsack, Coussack, Cussach, Cussache, Cussoch, Coussack, M'Cusack, Cussick and many more. Early Notables of the Cussak familyNotable amongst the family up to this time was Thomas Cusack was Mayor of Dublin in 1409; and Sir Thomas Cusack, who fought as a lancer at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.Thomas Cusack, Cusack or de Cusack (died c.1496) was an Irish barrister and judge who held the offices of Attorney General for Ireland and Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. Sir Thomas Cusack (1490-1571) was Lord... Migration of the Cussak familyIreland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Cussak: Christopher Cusack who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1830; Betsey Cusack settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1849; Pat Cusack settled in Canada in 1839.
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