Gledstyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

Among the the peoples of ancient Scotland, the first to use the name Gledstyn were the Strathclyde-Britons. Gledstyn was a name for someone who lived at Gledstanes in Lanarkshire. The place-name itself is derived from the Old English words glede, which means kite, and stan, which means stone. In this case the word kite applies in its original sense as a bird of prey of the hawk family that is distinguished by its forked tail. 1

Gladestone is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 2 3

Early Origins of the Gledstyn family

The surname Gledstyn was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland. "Herbert de Gledstan or Gledestane of the county of Lanark, who took the oath of fealty to Edward I in 1296 is the first of the name on record. William de Gledstanes witnessed a charter by Roger de Auldton, c. 1354, and Sir William of Gledstanes, probably the same person, was present at the battle of Poitiers in 1356. Andrew de Gledstan was a witness in Brechin in 1364, Andrew of Gledstanis was arrested in Norwich, England, in violation of the truce in 1396. " 4

The History of Liddesdale and the Debatable Land lists: Johannes Gledstanis de Wynitonhaw, 1497; Andrew Gledstanis in the same year; and Philp Gledstanis in 1541. Just over the English border in Yorkshire, William de Gledstanys,was listed in the Coddingham Priory (no date given.) 5

Early History of the Gledstyn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gledstyn research. Another 186 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1364, 1396, 1454, 1480, 1488, 1533, 1534, 1560, 1565, 1574, 1576, 1580, 1590, 1592, 1595, 1615, 1617, 1632, 1635, 1638, 1668 and 1835 are included under the topic Early Gledstyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gledstyn Spelling Variations

Medieval Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. This is due to the fact that scribes in that era spelled according to the sound of words, rather than any set of rules. Gledstyn has been spelled Gladstone, Gladston, Gledstone, Gledstanes and others.

Early Notables of the Gledstyn family

Notable amongst the family at this time was John Gladstanes (d. 1574), Scottish advocate, "first mentioned on 21 Feb. 1533, at which date he was designated 'M. Johannes Gladstanes, licentiatus utroque jure.' In 1534 there was a James Gladstanes of Coklaw, an estate with a defensible tower in Roxburghshire, which had been possessed by the family for many previous generations. It is averred that John Gladstanes was a member of the Coklaw family, and his mother was a Fraser; but circumstances rather indicate the upper ward of Lanarkshire as the locality of his birth. " 6 George Gladstanes (d. 1615), was Archbishop...
Another 189 words (14 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gledstyn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gledstyn family

Many Scots were left with few options other than to leave their homeland for the colonies across the Atlantic. Some of these families fought to defend their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. Others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these families have recently been able to rediscover their roots through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations. Among them: John Gladestone who settled in Philadelphia in 1744.

The Gledstyn 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: Fide et virtute
Motto Translation: By fidelity and valour.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print