St. Aubent is a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. The St. Aubent family lived in Devon. Their name, however, is a reference to St. Albine de Terregatt, Normandy.
"Mauger de St. Albyn witnessed the foundation charter of Barnstaple Abbey in the time of the Conqueror, and his posterity remained for many generations in Devonshire. Their earliest recorded residence was Pickwell, in the parish of George Ham, where Sir Mauger de St. Albino was seated in the latter days of Henry III." [1]
"This knight and his lady are interred in the church, under a fair monument of free stone, with their representations neatly cut ; and he lying in his armour makes show of large stature, something more than ordinary. The inhabitants report from their ancestors that he was of giant-like stature, and therefore named Major St. Aubyn, mistaking Major for Mauger or Maugis, a common name in those days. He was of so great and extraordinary strength that he was able to cast a huge main stone a very large length. The stone is yet there to be seen, and the throw marked out by two erected monuments yet extant, and the stone is so weighty that two strong men of this age are but able to lift it." [1]
The surname St. Aubent was first found in Devon and neighbouring Cornwall. "The manors of Berripper and Penpons, [in Camborne] which are now the property of Sir John St. Aubyn, have long been in the possession of his family. His grandfather, who was born in this parish, and who represented this county in parliament, has rendered his name memorable by his eloquence and independence." [2]
"The manor of Trelowith, together with that of Trenhale, [in the parish of St. Erth, Cornwall] has long been in the St. Aubyn family, where it still remains. Hals says, that from Trenhayle was denominated an old family of gentlemen that became extinct so early as the reign of Edward III. when the heiress of this family married Tencreek, whose heiress married Budeoxhed, which family also became extinct in the reign of Elizabeth. It appears however, from the parish register, that some of the Trenhayle family remained so late as the seventeenth century." [2]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our St. Aubent research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1613, 1684, 1640, 1645, 1687, 1670, 1714, 1702, 1744, 1726, 1772, 1641 and 1819 are included under the topic Early St. Aubent History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. St. Aubent has been recorded under many different variations, including St. Albyn, St. Awbyne, St. Aubyn, St. Alban and many more.
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir John St. Albyn; John St Aubyn (1613-1684), English politician in the House of Commons (1640), Colonel in the Parliamentary Army in the English Civil War...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early St. Aubent Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the St. Aubent family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. St. Aubents were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: Jonathan St. Alban, who settled in Barbados in 1663; James, David, Edward, John, Michael, Patrick, Thomas, Walter and William Tobin all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870..