Essex Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Essex Origin:

England

Origin of Essex:

The origin of this interesting and unique surname originally evolved from Anglo-Saxon and is a locational name for a person who arrived from the division of Essex. Like many English division names, “Essex” shows the name of the clan that developed in the region. The name acquires from the old English pre 7th Century word “east,” which means east, with “Seaxe,” which means Saxons, so the whole meanings of the name are “area of the East Saxons.” The division names Sussex, Middlesex, and the ancient name Wessex are, properly, the “South Saxons,” “Middle Saxons” and “West Saxons.” The division name Essex is listed in the “Anglo-Saxon Chronicles” as “East Seaxe” and in the Domesday Book of 1086 it appears as in the Warwickshire Feet of Fines for 1246, and surprisingly, the new name now appears mainly in that division. According to the early documentations of the name, in London there appeared the wedding of John Essex and Katherin Barber in January 1554, at St. Mary Woolnoth.

Variations:

More common variations of this surname are: Essiex, Eessex, Esex, Essx, Ussex, Essix, Ossex, Assex, Osseux, Esseks.

England:

The surname Essex first organized in Middlesex where they held a family seat as Kings of Castle. However, French was the language of courts for next three centuries, and the Norman atmosphere overcame all of England. But Saxon surnames remained the same and the family name was first mentioned in the 13th century when they held lands in that shire.

The very first recorded spelling of the family was shown to be that of Suein de Essexa, which was dated 1114 – 1116, in the Documents of Ancient Rolls, London. It was during the time of King Henry I, who was known to be the “The Lion of Justice,” dated 1100 – 1135. The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation. It came to be known as Poll Tax in England. Surnames all over the country began to develop, with unique and shocking spelling varieties of the original one.

United States of America:

Individuals with the surname Essex settled in the United States in four different centuries respectively in 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th. Some of the people with the name Essex who settled in the United States in the 17th century included John Essex, who came to Virginia in 1636. Mary Essex who settled in Virginia in 1663.

Some of the people with the name Essex who settled in the United States in the 18th century included Tho Essex, who arrived in Virginia in 1703. Thomas Essex, who landed in Virginia in 1714.

Some of the people with the name Essex who settled in the United States in the 19th century included William Essex at the age of 20, landed in Kentucky in 1812.

Some of the people with the name Essex who settled in the United States in the 20th century included Annie Mariah Essex, who came to Arkansas in 1903.

Australia:

Some of the people with the name Essex who settled in Australia in the 19th century included Enoch Essex and Harriett Essex both arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship “Duke of Roxburghe” in the same year in 1838.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Essex: United States 4,701; England 2,829; Cameroon 793; Mexico 105; Australia 564; Scotland 59; Canada 354; South Africa 256; France 73; New Zealand 59.

Notable People:

David Essex, OBE was born David Albert Cook in July 1947. He is an English singer, composer, and actor. Since 1970, he gained 19 Top 40 singles in the UK (containing two number ones) and 16 Top 40 albums. He has also worked as an actor.

Frankie Essex was a famous TV personality in the reality show “The Only Way is Essex.”

Joey Don Essex was born in July 1990. He is an English television actor. He became famous in 2011 after performing in the ITV2 television series “The Only Way Is Essex” with many of his family and friends, notably Frankie Essex.

Karen Essex is an American historical novel writer, a scripter, and scholar.

Mark James Robert Essex (August 1949 – January 1973) was an American mass murderer who murdered nine people, five police officers, and injured 13 others in New Orleans in December 1972, and January 1973.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (cos. Bedford, Buckingham, and Essex). Quarterly, or and gu. a cross patonce in saltire counterchanged.
2) (Bewcot, co. Berks, bart., extinct temp. Charles I.). Gu. an orle ar. (another, of the same place, ar. an orle gu.).
3) (Lamborne, co. Berks). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, ar. an orle gu.; 2nd and 3rd, az. a chev. engr. erm. betw. three eagles displ. of the first. Crest—An eagle’s head or, in the mouth a hawk’s leg erased at the thigh gu.
4) (co. Berks). Az. a chev. erm. fimbriated or, betw. three eagles displ. ar.
5) (London). Az. a chev. embattled erm. betw. three eagles displ. ar. Crest—Out of a mural coronet erm. a, griffin’s head or.
6) (Fun. Ent. of Sir Edward Essex, knighted at Dublin, 5 Aug. 1599, buried in Christ’s Church Cathedral, 2 Sept. following). Az. a chev. erm. betw. three eagles displ. or.
7) Ar. a chev. chequy erm. and gu. betw. three cronels sa. on a chief az. a rose betw. a leopard’s head and a buck’s head or.
8) Quarterly, or and gu. a saltire fretty all counterchanged.
9) Gu. a cross and bordure engr. or.
10) Ar. a fesse dancettee gu.
11) Sa. a chev. erm. betw. two crosses crosslet engr. or.
12) (co. Middlesex). Az. a chev. erm. fimbriated and engr. betw. three eagles displ. or. Crest—An eagle’s head or, gorged with a ducal coronet per pale az. and sa.