Melstead Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The Melstead name is a habitational name derived from Milstead in Kent.

Melstead Early Origins

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The surname Melstead was first found in Kent at Milstead, a village in the borough of Swale which dates back to the late 11th century when it was listed as Milstede. The place name probably means "middle place" from the Old English middel + stede. However, the first reference of the surname was in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where Richard de Minsted was listed in Buckinghamshire. Apparently the "n" and the "l" were often interchanged. In this case, the name could have originated at Minstead is a small village and civil parish in the New Forest, Hampshire. This village dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Mintestede and literally meant "place where mint grows or is grown," from the Old English word minte + stede.

Melstead Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Melsted, Melstead, Milstead, Misted and others.

Melstead Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Melstead research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Melstead History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Melstead Early Notables (pre 1700)

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

The Great Migration

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Edward Milstead, a bonded passenger, who arrived in Barbados or Jamaica in 1674; as well as John Milsteed, who left England for Virginia in 1774.

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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)
^ Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)

Other References

Markale, J. Celtic Civilization. London: Gordon & Cremonesi, 1976. Print.
Hinde, Thomas Ed. The Domesday Book England's Heritage Then and Now. Surrey: Colour Library Books, 1995. Print. (ISBN 1-85833-440-3).
Thirsk, Joan. The Agrarian History of England and Wales. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: 7 Volumes. Print.
Browning, Charles H. Americans of Royal Descent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Holt, J.C. Ed. Domesday Studies. Woodbridge: Boydell, 1987. Print. (ISBN 0-85115-477-8).
Bowman, George Ernest. The Mayflower Reader A Selection of Articales from The Mayflower Descendent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Fairbairn. Fairbain's book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland, 4th Edition 2 volumes in one. Baltimore: Heraldic Book Company, 1968. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X).
Shirley, Evelyn Philip. Noble and Gentle Men of England Or Notes Touching The Arms and Descendants of the Ancient Knightley and Gentle Houses of England Arranged in their Respective Counties 3rd Edition. Westminster: John Bowyer Nichols and Sons, 1866. Print.
Foster, Joseph. Dictionary of Heraldry Feudal Coats of Arms and Pedigrees. London: Bracken Books, 1989. Print. (ISBN 1-85170-309-8).
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The Melstead Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Melstead Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 12 May 2014 at 11:20.