Langsee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Langsee first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in Langley in five counties in ancient Britain. Literally, the place name means "long wood or clearing," from the Old English words "land" + "leah." The name has Saxon roots too as the oldest place we found was in Langley, Kent where it was listed as Longanleag in 814. The next earliest was in Wiltshire where Langelegh was listed in 940, both before the Norman Conquest in 1066. 1

Early Origins of the Langsee family

The surname Langsee was first found in Durham where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Some of the first records of the name were listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273: Thomas Langeleye in Oxford; Peter de Langlege in Wiltshire; and Ralph de Langleye in Kent. 2

Wakefield in the West Riding of Yorkshire was home to another branch of the family since early times. "In the reign of Edward the Confessor, it formed part of the royal demesnes; and, after the Conquest, was granted by Henry I. to William, Earl Warren, with whose descendants it remained till the reign of Edward III., when, in default of issue male, it escheated to the crown, and was given by that monarch to his fifth son, Edmund de Langley, upon whom he conferred the title of Earl of Cambridge, and who, in the reign of Richard II., was for his important services created Duke of York." 3

Some of the family were found in the North Riding of Yorkshire at Wykeham. "Wykeham Abbey, the seat of the Hon. Marmaduke Langley, who is lord of the manor and chief owner of the soil, is a neat mansion, standing in a finely wooded park about a mile south of the village." 3

Langley Castle is a restored medieval tower house, now operated as an hotel, situated in the village of Langley in the valley of the River South Tyne, Northumberland. This castle was never held by the Langley family but is so named because of its proximity to the village. Langley Chapel is a 17th century Anglican parish church, located near Acton Burnell, Shropshire, England.

Early History of the Langsee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Langsee research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1341, 1363, 1386, 1402, 1404, 1437, 1548, 1576, 1595, 1596, 1602, 1611 and 1679 are included under the topic Early Langsee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Langsee Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Langsee has appeared include Langley, Langlee, Langleigh and others.

Early Notables of the Langsee family

Notables of the family at this time include Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, 1st Earl of Cambridge, (1341-1402), a medival prince; Thomas Langley (c.1363-1437), an English prelate, Dean of York, Bishop of Durham, twice Lord Chancellor of England, the second longest serving Chancellor of the Middle Ages; Sir Robert Langley, appointed Dean of York in 1386, though his...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Langsee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Langsee family to Ireland

Some of the Langsee family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Langsee family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Langsee arrived in North America very early: Henry Langley settled in Virginia in 1650; Daniel Langley settled in Virginia in 1679; Sarah Langley settled in Virginia in 1633 with her husband; Catherine Langley settled in Barbados in 1654.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.