Langstaffe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Langstaffe comes from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name for a person who due to their occupation was given the name of Long staff. This nickname referred to those individuals who worked as a bailiff or an officer of the law who carried a log-staff that acted as a badge of office. 1

Another source notes that the name could denote a "sergeant, bailiff, catchpoll, or other officer of the law." 2

Early Origins of the Langstaffe family

The surname Langstaffe was first found in Westmorland where Richard Langstaff was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1210. In the same year, Hugo Longstaf was listed as a Freeman of Leicestershire. 3

There was only one record of the family in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, that of William Longstaf in Norfolk. 2 Another William Longstaff was later listed, 20 Edward III (during the twentieth year of King Edward III's reign.) 4

"Longstaff has been a Darlington, [Durham] name since the reign of James I. (1603-1625)" 5

Early History of the Langstaffe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Langstaffe research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1660 and 1748 are included under the topic Early Langstaffe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Langstaffe Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Langstaffe has undergone many spelling variations, including Langstaff, Langstaffe, Longstaff, Longstaffe and others.

Early Notables of the Langstaffe family

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

Migration of the Langstaffe family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Langstaffe were among those contributors: Henry Langstaff settled in New Hampshire in 1630; Elizabeth Longstaf settled in Barbados in 1680.

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.