Custance Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The Anglo-Saxon name Custance comes from the baptismal name which means Custance. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Custance Early Origins

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The surname Custance was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. Their family seat later emerged at Weston House in Norwich in that shire. From their early beginnings, for the next few centuries, the family name also acquired other estates or manors as branches established themselves throughout England. The major conflicts of the eras, such as the War of the Roses, the English Reformation, and the English Civil War sometimes found them to be in opposing camps, with conflicting interests. For instance, the ancient, most popular form of the name was Constance.

Custance Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Custance has appeared include Custerson, Custer, Custance, Constance, Custeson and others.

Custance Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Custance research. Another 229 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379, 1629, 1801, and 1881 are included under the topic Early Custance History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Custance Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Custance Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Custance arrived in North America very early: Peter Cussens, who settled in America in 1662; Leonard Cussens, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1725; Emanuel Custer, who came to Maryland in 1811; James Custer, who settled in New York in 1832.

Contemporary Notables of the name Custance (post 1700)

Rear Admiral Wilfred Neville Custance CB (1884-1939), British officer in the Royal Navy, Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron (1937-1939)
Olive Eleanor Custance (1874-1944), British poet, wife of Lord Alfred Douglas
Lara Custance (b. 1922), New Zealand actress, known for her roles as Abi in the TV series Paradise Café
Rafe Custance (b. 1994), New Zealand actor, famous for starring in the New Zealand children's drama The New Tomorrow, alongside his sister Lara Custance
Arthur C. Custance (1910-1985), English-born, Canadian anthropologist, scientist and author
Rear Admiral Wilfred Neville Custance (1884-1939), British senior officer in the Royal Navy

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: Appetitus rationi pareat
Motto Translation: Let your desires obey your reason.

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Citations

Other References

Burke, Sir Bernard. General Armory Of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Ramsbury: Heraldry Today. Print.
Matthews, John. Matthews' American Armoury and Blue Book. London: John Matthews, 1911. Print.
Best, Hugh. Debrett's Texas Peerage. New York: Coward-McCann, 1983. Print. (ISBN 069811244X).
Fairbairn. Fairbain's book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland, 4th Edition 2 volumes in one. Baltimore: Heraldic Book Company, 1968. Print.
Bede, The Venerable. Historia Ecclesiatica Gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History Of the English People). Available through Internet Medieval Sourcebook the Fordham University Centre for Medieval Studies. Print.
Reaney P.H and R.M. Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X).
Burke, Sir Bernard. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry: Including American Families with British Ancestry. (2 Volumes). London: Burke Publishing, 1939. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin . Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8).
Hinde, Thomas Ed. The Domesday Book England's Heritage Then and Now. Surrey: Colour Library Books, 1995. Print. (ISBN 1-85833-440-3).
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X).
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The Custance Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Custance 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 24 September 2016 at 20:35.