Show ContentsLongwan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient history of the Longwan name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in the region of Langland. Longwan is a habitation name from the broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Longwan family

The surname Longwan was first found in Lincolnshire where the name was derived from the Old English lang or long + land, collectively meaning "long land" referring to a long strip of land. 1

To the far south at Land's End, Cornwall, "the manor of Killenick belonged, in the reign of Richard II. to John Longeland and Lankford. From the latter it passed by a female heir to the Bourchiers." 2

Early History of the Longwan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Longwan research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1140, 1332, 1400, 1521, 1531 and 1696 are included under the topic Early Longwan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Longwan Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Longwan include Langland, Longlande, Longlands, Langlande and many more.

Early Notables of the Longwan family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Longwan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Longwan family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Longwan or a variant listed above: Jennit Langland settled in New York in 1822 with four children; William Langland settled in Virginia in 1650.



The Longwan 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: Spero
Motto Translation: I hope.


  1. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  2. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print


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