Eclestone Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The origins of the Eclestone name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in a region named Eccleston in Lancashire and Chester. The surname Eclestone is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came.

Eclestone Early Origins

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The surname Eclestone was first found in Lancashire at Eccleston, a village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley. This place gave name to a family as early as the reign of Richard I. Alan de Eccleston was listed as a tenant of Edward III and his pedigree ascends to the time of Henry III. This township is probably the Eglestun of Domesday Book of 1086. Another early record of the surname was Thomas of Eccleston, a thirteenth century English Franciscan chronicler, best known for his "De Adventu Fratrum Minorum in Angliam." It tells the story of when Franciscan friars first came to England in 1224 to about 1258. He was known as "Brother Thomas" and was later given the title "of Eccleston."

Eclestone Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Eclestone were recorded, including Eccleston, Ecclestone, Eccleton and others.

Eclestone Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eclestone research. Another 231 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1094, 1659, 1743, 1610 and 1623 are included under the topic Early Eclestone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eclestone Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Eclestone Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eclestone In Ireland

Some of the Eclestone family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Eclestone family emigrate to North America: Elizabeth Eccleston who settled in New England in 1706; E. Eccleston arrived in New York in 1823; James and Henry Eccleston arrived in Philadelphia in 1860..

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: Spero meliora
Motto Translation: I hope for better things.

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Citations

^ Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)

Other References

Elster, Robert J. International Who's Who. London: Europa/Routledge. Print.
Burke, John Bernard Ed. The Roll of Battle Abbey. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Burke, Sir Bernard. Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, The Privy Council, Knightage and Compainonage. London: Burke Publishing, 1921. Print.
Bardsley, C.W. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6).
Reaney P.H and R.M. Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X).
Shaw, William A. Knights of England A Complete Record from the Earliest Time to the Present Day of the Knights of all the Orders of Chivalry in England, Scotland, Ireland and Knights Bachelors 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print. (ISBN 080630443X).
Lennard, Reginald. Rural England 1086-1135 A Study of Social and Agrarian Conditions. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1959. Print.
Leeson, Francis L. Dictionary of British Peerages. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1986. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-1121-5).
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).
Innes, Thomas and Learney. The Tartans of the Clans and Families of Scotland 1st Edition. Edinburgh: W & A. K. Johnston Limited, 1938. Print.
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The Eclestone Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Eclestone 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 21 January 2015 at 11:58.