Show ContentsGarstange History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Garstange Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Garstange

What does the name Garstange mean?

The name Garstange arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Garstange family lived in the territory of Garstang. Located north in the county of Lancashire, Garstang was a bustling market town where much commerce was exchanged. In early history many gentlefolk of prospective villages or places of settlement often adopted surnames from their locale. So those who came from Garstang included this name as part of their surname to distinguish or identify themselves. In Old English Garstang means spear pole, which was often used as a reference marker to establish borders between villages or counties. 1

Early Origins of the Garstange family

The surname Garstange was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from early times as Lords of the manor of Garstang. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, Garstang, originally known as Cherestanc and was the King's land. 2 This northern Lancashire town and parish was a market town. A branch of the family were later recorded in Dumfriesshire in Scotland in 1305. 3

Early History of the Garstange family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Garstange research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1490 and 1970 are included under the topic Early Garstange History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Garstange Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Garstang, Gairstang, Garstange, Cherestanc and others.

Early Notables of the Garstange family

More information is included under the topic Early Garstange Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Garstange family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Garstange or a variant listed above: Joseph Gairstange who landed in America in 1710.
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)

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