Contents [hide]

Estes History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Estes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Italy
Spain
England

When the Anglo-Normans began to settle in Ireland, they initially ignored the established Gaelic system for developing of patronymic names, and relied on their own traditional naming practices. Eventually, however, the two differing customs drew upon one another to some degree. The Anglo-Normans, unlike their Gaelic neighbors, frequently used nickname surnames. These Anglo-Norman nicknames were frequently of two types: "oath names" and "imperative names." Oath names often carried blessings or were formed from habitual expressions. Imperative names, formed from a verb added to a noun or an adverb, metaphorically described the bearer's occupations. The nick name surname Estes is derived from a nickname for a Iustas, indicating a fruitful person. This perhaps refers to someone with many offspring, or with extraordinary agricultural or material wealth. The Latin form Eustachius was originally derived from a Greek word which means fruitful.

While the majority of the family emigrated to England and then many to Ireland, but not all as we found the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists William Eustachius in Normandy 1198. 1

"The family, settled in Ireland under Henry II., were of Norman descent." 2

Early Origins of the Estes family

The surname Estes was first found in Kildare (Irish:Cill Dara), ancient homeland of the Kildare based Uí Dúnlainge (Kings of Leinster), located in the Province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Eustace (died 1215) was Bishop of Ely, ecclesiastic and statesman. "He secured the confidence of Henry I and of Richard I. He became vice-chancellor and keeper of the royal seal, and ultimately chancellor. He was also Dean of Salisbury. At that period all the chief posts in the church of York and its suffragan sees were, as a rule, employed to provide for royal officials. During the suspension of Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, by the Pope, in 1195, Richard appointed Eustace in 1196, Treasurer of York, on the death of Bouchard de Puiset, and in the same year gave him the enormous and lucrative archdeaconry of Richmond." 3

While the majority of the family are from Ireland, we need to take a moment again to explore the English side of the story. Here the family come from "Fitz Eustace et Eustacy, presumably Eustace. Two great Barons of this name are entered in Domesday ; Eustachius Comes, the Count of Boulogne (see Abbeville), and Eustachius Vicecomes, the Sheriff of Huntingdon, whose 'evil deeds,' according to Freeman, 'stand out clearly in the Survey. In the entries of Eustace's own lands, we find English owners, and also the Countess Judith, complaining of his seizures.' This Eustace, who founded a small Priory at Huntingdon, is called by Camden Eustace de Lovetoft, though he does not appear in the pedigree given by Hunter of the Hallamshire Lovetots." 4

Indeed there is more. For the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Adam filius Eustace, Cambridgeshire; Henry filius Ewstace, Huntingdonshire; and Richard Eustase, Cambridgeshire. 5

Early History of the Estes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Estes research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1014, 1449, 1454, 1480, 1496, 1505, 1535, 1541, 1549, 1578, 1580, 1581, 1585, 1590, 1665 and 1693 are included under the topic Early Estes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Estes Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Eustace, Eustice, Eustes, Eustach, Eustis and others.

Early Notables of the Estes family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Thomas Eustace (c. 1480-1549), 1st Viscount Baltinglass; his son Rowland Eustace (1505-1578), 2nd Viscount Baltinglass; James Eustace 3rd Viscount Baltinglass who defeated Lord Gray in 1580; Sir Maurice Eustace (c.1590-1665), an Irish politician and judge; Sir Maurice Eustace, 1st Baronet (died 1693) of Castle Martin, County Kildare; Maurice Eustace (d. 1581), an Irish...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Estes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Estes Ranking

In the United States, the name Estes is the 707^th most popular surname with an estimated 42,279 people with that name. 6

Estes migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Estes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Matthew Estes, who arrived in New Hampshire in 1676 7

Estes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jean Estes, who settled in New York in 1832
Jane Estes, who arrived in New York, NY in 1832
Elisabethe Estes, who settled in New York in 1832
Cretiers Estes, who settled in New York in 1832
J. M. Estes, who settled in New Orleans in 1850
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Estes Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Louisa Estes, who arrived in Kansas in 1900

Estes migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Estes Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Estes, who settled in Ontario in 1871

Contemporary Notables of the name Estes (post 1700) +

Joel Estes, American founder of what would later become the Town of Estes Park, Colorado in 1859
Simon Estes (b. 1938), American operatic bass-baritone
Bud Estes (1946-2021), American politician, Member of the Kansas Senate (2017-2021)
Will Estes (b. 1978), born William Estes Nipper, an American actor best known for his role as JJ Pryor, on the television show American Dreams
William Kaye Estes (1919-2011), American psychologist
Vernon "Vern" Estes (b. 1930), American founder of Estes Industries, the model rocket production company in Penrose, Colorado
Aaron Shawn Estes (b. 1973), American former Major League Baseball pitcher
Patrick Brion Estes (b. 1983), American NFL football offensive tackle
John Adam Estes (1904-1977), nicknamed "Sleepy John Estes", American blues singer, guitarist, and composer
Richard Estes (b. 1932), American painter, from Evanston, Ill, one of the best-known American exponents of photorealism, noted for his street scenes
... (Another 32 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Estes family +

USS Arizona

Mr. Carl Edwen Estes, American Seaman First Class from Texas, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 8
Mr. Forrest Jesse Estes, American Fireman First Class from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 8

The Estes 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: Cur me persequeris?
Motto Translation: Why persecutest thou me?.

Citations +

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html