Custerd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Custerd

What does the name Custerd mean?

The name Custerd is derived from the Middle English word "costard" which is "‘a prominently ribbed apple, a kind of large apple, but the word was evidently also known as a personal name." 1 Later, it defined a person who made a type of apple dumpling, a delicacy popular in early days. The final "d" from variants like Costard and Costerd was frequently dropped in later years.

In France the word "castor" literally translates as "beaver." And in this case as in the former, the name is understood to be an occupational name.

Early Origins of the Custerd family

The surname Custerd was first found in Lincolnshire where Alexander filius Costard was registered in the Pipe Rolls of 1203. In the Latin for, Roger Costardus was listed in Norfolk 1175-1186 and later Richard Costard was found in the Assize Rolls for Wiltshire in 1249. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Reginald Costard, Gloucestershire; Emma Costard, Oxfordshire; and Richard Costard, Cambridgeshire and later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included an entry for Thomas Costard. 2

The source Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III had two entries for the family: John Costard, Lincolnshire; and Margery Costard, Lincolnshire.

Early History of the Custerd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Custerd research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1420, 1710 and 1782 are included under the topic Early Custerd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Custerd Spelling Variations

Coster, Costar, Costard, Costerman

Early Notables of the Custerd family

Robert Coster who married Grace Pendarves, daughter of Sir William Pendarves of St. Ives. Richard Caistor (d. 1420), was an English theologian, "said to have been born at Caistor, near Norwich, from...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Custerd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Custerd family

John Costard who settled in Virginia in 1622; John Costar landed in New York in 1823; F. Costar arrived in San Francisco in 1823; Jan Coster arrived in New York in 1661; Joshua Coster arrived in New England in 1774.

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)