Edgeton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Edgeton family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in Egerton, in the county of Cheshire. It is now called Egerton Green. The place-name is derived from the Old English personal name Ecghere and tun, a word which meant enclosure, farm, or settlement, and later came to mean fort, and then town. The name would translate as farm belonging to Ecghere.

Early Origins of the Edgeton family

The surname Edgeton was first found in Cheshire at Egerton Green which dates back to 1259 when it was listed as Eggerton. The place name literally meant "farmstead of a man called Ecghere," from the Old English personal name + "tun." 1 The suffix "green" was added in the 18th century.

There is another local named Egerton or Egerton (St James) in Kent, a parish, in the union of West Ashford, hundred of Calehill. In this latter case, this place dates back to c.1100 when it was listed as Eardingtun and later as Egarditon in 1203. 1

Some of the family were found in ancient times at Tatton, a township, in the parish of Rosthern, union of Altrincham, hundred of Bucklow. "The seat of the Egertons of Tatton is here. Tatton Park is one of the largest parks in England, and contains from six to seven hundred head of deer. The Egerton family are owners of the entire township." 2

"By the sea side [in Wallasey, Cheshire] is an ancient mansion denominated Mockbeggar Hall, or more properly, Leasowe Castle, formerly a seat of the Egertons." 2

"Worsley Hall [in Worsley, Yorkshire], the seat of the Earl of Ellesmere, is a stately modern structure with an elegant portico, erected on an elevated site which overlooks the park-like grounds, and commands a view into seven counties. The old Hall, seated at the northern extremity of the gardens of the present mansion, was successively the residence of the Worsleys, Masseys, Stanleys, Breretons, and Egertons." 2

Early History of the Edgeton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Edgeton research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1579, 1617, 1621, 1623, 1626, 1646, 1649, 1654, 1660, 1663, 1673, 1676, 1681, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1695, 1701, 1711, 1717, 1720, 1723, 1744 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Edgeton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Edgeton Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Edgeton include Egerton, Edgeton, Edgerton and others.

Early Notables of the Edgeton family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Stephen Egerton (c. 1555-1621), an English priest, born in London, he was a leading Puritan preacher of his time; John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater KB, PC (1579-1649), an English peer and politician; John Egerton, 2nd Earl of Bridgewater PC (1623-1686), an English nobleman, Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire (1660-1686), Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire and Lancashire (1673-1676); Elizabeth Egerton (née Cavendish), Countess of...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Edgeton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Edgeton family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Edgeton or a variant listed above: Eleanor Egerton who settled in Barbados in 1691; John Egerton settled in Virginia in 1726.

The Edgeton 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: Virtute non armis fido
Motto Translation: I trust in virtue not arms

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.