Seymoure History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Seymoure was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Seymoure family lived in Monmouthshire. Their name, however, is a reference to St. Maur, near Avranches, Normandy. ^[1]

"The baronial family of St. Maur, founded by the warrior of Hastings, became extinct in the chief male line at the decease in 1499 of Richard, 6th Lord St. Maur, whose only daughter and heiress, Alice, wedded William, 6th Lord Zouche of Haryngworth. The Seymours, Dukes of Somerset, whose historic greatness needs little of ancestral aid to augment its glory, claim to be a scion of the baronial house, and their pretensions may be sustained by the valuable authority of Camden." ^[2]

Early Origins of the Seymoure family

The surname Seymoure was first found in Monmouthshire. However, records differ on who was the progenitor of the family. One reference claims that Wido de St. Maur came to England in 1066 but was deceased before 1086 and would have therefore not appeared in the Domesday Book. His son William Fits-Wido held a barony in Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucester and ten manors in Somerset. ^[3]

"A Gilbertine priory, in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was founded [in Poulton, Gloucestershire] about 1347, by Sir Thomas de Sancto Mauro, or Seymor." ^[4]

Another reference claims they were descended from Roger Sancto Maure who lived during the reign of Henry I and was Lord of Seymour Castle. ^[5]

Early History of the Seymoure family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Seymoure research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1458, 1509, 1537, 1474, 1536, 1547, 1549, 1528, 1593, 1563, 1613, 1599, 1674, 1663, 1646, 1648, 1632, 1708 and are included under the topic Early Seymoure History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Seymoure Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Seymoure have been found, including St. Maur, Seymour, Seymer, Seymar, Seamor, Seamour, Seemour and many more.

Early Notables of the Seymoure family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Seymor, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1458. Jane Seymour (1509?-1537), was "third queen of Henry VIII, was eldest of the eight children of Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall, Savernake, Wiltshire, by Margaret, daughter of Sir John Wentworth of Nettlestead, Suffolk. Her mother's family claimed a distant relationship to the royal family." ^[6] Sir John Seymour, of Wiltshire, KB (c.1474-1536), was English gentry, courtier to King Henry VIII, father of the king's wife Jane Seymour; Edward Seymour...
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Seymoure Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Seymoure family to Ireland

Some of the Seymoure family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Seymoure family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Seymoure were among those contributors: William Seymour who settled in Virginia in 1653; George Seymour settled in Barbados in 1679; William Seymour settled in Maryland in 1725; John Seymer was banished to Barbados in 1685.

The Seymoure 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: Foy pour devoir
Motto Translation: Faith for duty.

Citations +

^ Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
^ Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, 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)
^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
^ Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
^ Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print