The name Mouncey was brought to
England in the wave of migration that followed the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mouncey family lived in
Sussex. The name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the
Norman Conquest of
England in 1066, Monceaux, Normandy.
Early Origins of the Mouncey family
The surname Mouncey was first found in
Sussex where they held a
family seat as lords of the manor of Herstmonceux. They were descended from the ancient Lords of Maers and Monceaux, Counts of Nevers in
Normandy. They were granted lands in
Sussex and those branches, retaining the name Monceaux became the Lords of Monson, the Viscounts Castlemaine, and the Lords Sondes.
Another branch moved north into Cumberland soon after the Conquest: Hammond Monceaux was Sheriff of Cumberland in 1290, and it is there that the Mounsey branch is thought to have arisen.
About this time, Walter de Muncy, 1st Baron Muncy (d. c. 1309), was summoned to Parliament and was accordingly granted a peerage on 6 February 1299. This gentleman may be the same person referenced at Thornton in the West Riding of Yorkshire in early times. "This place in the reign of Edward I. belonged to Walter de Muncey, who obtained from that monarch the grant of a weekly market, and a fair on the festival of St. Thomas the Martyr and four following days." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Mouncey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mouncey research.
Another 267 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1377, 1291, 1296, 1395 and 1686 are included under the topic Early Mouncey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Mouncey Spelling Variations
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to
England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Mounsey, Mounsie, Mouncie, Mouncey, Mouncy, Muncey, Muncie, Mounceaus, Monceaux, Monceux, Monse and many more.
Early Notables of the Mouncey family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Mouncey Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Mouncey family to the New World and Oceana
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Mouncey or a variant listed above:
Mouncey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Margaret Mouncey, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1697
Mouncey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Thomas Mouncey, who settled in America in 1721
Mouncey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Isaac Mouncey, who landed in New York in 1836 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8) - Isaac Mouncey, who settled in New York in 1836
Mouncey Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Robert Mouncey, who arrived in Quebec in 1820
The Mouncey 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: Semper paratus
Motto Translation: Always prepared.