Irton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Irton

What does the name Irton mean?

The name Irton reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Irton family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Irton family lived in Cumberland at Yrton, from whence they took their name.

Early Origins of the Irton family

The surname Irton was first found in Cumberland where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Yrton (Irton.) The first on record was Richard of Yrton who is mentioned soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D. He was succeeded by Bertram d'Yrton, then Adam d'Yrton, a knight of St. Jerusalem, who attended Godfrey of Boulogne at the siege of Jerusalem. Adam slew a Saracen General during the siege, by lopping off his head. "The Manor of Irton has belonged also to the [family] almost from the time of the Conquest. " 1

Early History of the Irton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Irton research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1280, 1753 and 1820 are included under the topic Early Irton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Irton Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Irton, Yrton, d'Yrton, Erton, Eyrton and others.

Early Notables of the Irton family

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

Irton migration to the United States +

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Irton name or one of its variants:

Irton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Irton who landed in North America in 1710

Contemporary Notables of the name Irton (post 1700) +

Samuel Irton, Member of Parliament for West Cumberland from 1852 to 1857

The Irton 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: Semper constans et fidelis
Motto Translation: Always constant and faithful.

Sources +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.