Show ContentsPortes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Portes is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Portes family lived in Norfolk. Thae name could also be an occupational name. Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. In this case, the term porcker was someone who tended pigs.

Early Origins of the Portes family

The surname Portes was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Portes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Portes research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1185 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Portes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Portes Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Portes include Porcher, Porchers and others.

Early Notables of the Portes family

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

Portes Ranking

In France, the name Portes is the 2,594th most popular surname with an estimated 2,500 - 3,000 people with that name. 1


Portes migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Portess to arrive on North American shores:

Portes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Melchor De Portes, who arrived in Peru in 1890 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Portes (post 1700) +

  • Fay Allen Des Portes (1890-1944), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica, 1943-44 3
  • Gil M. Portes (1945-2017), Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter


The Portes 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: Pro rege
Motto Translation: For the King.


  1. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) Fay Portes. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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