Yrton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Yrton came to England with the ancestors of the Yrton family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Yrton family lived in Cumberland at Yrton, from whence they took their name.

Early Origins of the Yrton family

The surname Yrton was first found in Cumberland where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Yrton (Irton.) The first on record was Richard of Yrton who is mentioned soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D. He was succeeded by Bertram d'Yrton, then Adam d'Yrton, a knight of St. Jerusalem, who attended Godfrey of Boulogne at the siege of Jerusalem. Adam slew a Saracen General during the siege, by lopping off his head. "The Manor of Irton has belonged also to the [family] almost from the time of the Conquest. " 1

Early History of the Yrton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Yrton research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1280, 1753 and 1820 are included under the topic Early Yrton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Yrton Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Irton, Yrton, d'Yrton, Erton, Eyrton and others.

Early Notables of the Yrton family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sir Adam d'Yrton, the Crusader

Migration of the Yrton family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Yrton or a variant listed above: Thomas Irton who landed in North America in 1710.

The Yrton 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 constans et fidelis
Motto Translation: Always constant and faithful.

Citations +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.