Show ContentsLicence History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Licence arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Licence family lived in Glamorgan. Their name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Lisons, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Licence family

The surname Licence was first found in Glamorgan where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor in Neath. Family tradition has it that the family is of ancient Glamorgan stock which was famous in Neath before the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D., but it may also be conjectured that the family originated from Lison, in the department of Calvados, in Normandy.

Early History of the Licence family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Licence research. Another 169 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1550 and 1651 are included under the topic Early Licence History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Licence Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Lysons, Lysans, Lysance, Lysaunce, Lisons, Lisance, Licence, License, Lycence, Lysanse, Lysonse, Liconce, Lyconce, Leyson, Leysons, Lison, Leysaunce and many more.

Early Notables of the Licence family

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


United States Licence migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Licence or a variant listed above were:

Licence Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • George C. Licence, who arrived in New York in 1921 from Tampico, Mexico 1
  • Alfred S. Licence, aged 24, originally from London, England, who arrived in New York in 1923 aboard the ship "President Monroe" from London, England 1
  • George E. Licence, aged 29, who arrived in New York in 1923 aboard the ship "Matinicock" from San Pedro, California via Balboa 1


The Licence 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: Valebit
Motto Translation: He will prevail.


  1. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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