Family History

Origins of the Surname

Variations of the Surname

Armorial Bearings

& Motto(es)

Ancestral Lineage

Ancestral Locations

Migration Routes

Source Documents

Website Resources

Family Images Gallery

Contact Information

Family history

     The knowledge that we are descended from a Langston family is contained in a Deed filed in Fluvanna County, Virginia sometime around 1828.  In this document (Elizabeth) Isabella Langston, our 6^th great-grandmother whose maiden name is unknown, gave to her grandson Anthony Sheperd, our 4^th great-grandfather, 160 acres of  land she owned in Fluvanna County, Virginia. The land was located in or near the middle fork of the Cunningham Creek.  The Langston plantation contained at least six slaves as well as fields planted in corn, tobacco, and oats.  In May of 1828 Anthony gave this property, via a Deed of Trust, to his only child Francis (Sheperd) Scruggs, wife of Joseph C. Scruggs who are our 3^rd great-grandparents.

     Based upon the aforementioned information as well as Anthony Sheperd's known year of birth one must assume that his mother was the daughter of Isabella (nee?) Langston and born around 1754.  This daughter married Anthony Sheperd's father who may be a P. William Sheperd in Virginia and bore the aforementioned Anthony in 1779.   (Elizabeth) Isabella Langston may have been born around 1730 and probably lived in that part of Albemarle County that is now Fluvanna County.  Isabella probably died in Cumberland County, Virginia around 1825

Origins of the surname

An Introduction to the Surname

Source/Meaning of the Surname

History of

the Surname

Immigrants to North America

More About Surnames

An Introduction to the Surname

                 The practice of inherited family surnames began in England and France during the late part of the 11^th century.     With the passing of generations and the movement of families from place to place many of the original identifying names were altered into some of the versions that we are familiar with today.  Over the centuries, most of our European ancestors accepted their surname as an unchangeable part of their lives.  Thus people rarely changed their surname.  Variations of most surnames were usually the result of an involuntary act such as when a government official wrote a name phonetically or made an error in transcription.  Research into the record of this Langston family line indicates that the variations, meanings and history of this surname is most likely linked to that area of Europe where English, Scottish, and Irish linguistic traditions are commonly found. 

Source(s) & Meaning(s) of the Surname

     Most of the modern family names throughout Europe have originated from with of the following circumstances: patronym or matronym, names based on the name of one's father, mother or ancestor, (Johnson, Wilson). Each is a means of conveying lineage; occupation (i.e., Carpenter, Cooper, Brewer, Mason); habitational (Middleton, Sidney, or Ireland) or topographical (i.e. Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale); nicknames (i.e., Moody Freeholder, Wise, Armstrong); status (i.e. Freeman, Bond, Knight); and acquired ornamental names that were simply made up.

     Langston is an English habitational / locational surname generally referred to as being a 'from' name. That is to say a name given to a person who had left their original village to move somewhere else, and was most easily identified by being called by the place name.  The name meaning ‘of Langstone’ comes from any of the various places in England with that name such as the parish of Langstone near Newport in Monmouthshire.    Other examples are villages named Langstone in located Devon and Hampshire.  Both villages are recorded as Langeston in medieval documents.  The first element of the name coming from the Old English pre 7th century word "lang" meaning long, or in this context probably tall, and "stan", a prominent stone, one used as a county or parish boundary marker, or perhaps one of the single standing stones, which date from the Bronze Age.

History of the Surname

Surnames as we know them today were first assumed in Europe from the 11th to the 15th century. They were not in use in England or Scotland, before the Norman Conquest of 1066, and were first found in the Domesday Book of 1086. The employment in the use of a second name was a custom that was first introduced from the Normans who had adopted the custom just prior to this time.    Soon thereafter it became a mark of a generally higher socio-economic status and thus seen as disgraceful for a well-bred man to have only one name.  It was not until the middle of the 14^th century that surnames became general practice among all people in the British Isles.

     The use of Langston and close variations was first found in Leicestershire, England.  Early records of the name mention Langeston (without surname) recorded in County Durham in 1202.  Edward Langstone of Yorkshire, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379.  Also recorded in the surviving registers of the city of London is John Langston who married Jonne Hadcop at St. Mary-le-Bow on October 4th 1555, and George, the son of James Langstone, who was christened at St. Botolph without Aldgate on October 1st 1626.  Other recordings of the name include Thomas Langstone and Elizabeth Baugh (widow) who were married in London in the year 1564. Daniel, son of Benjamin Langstone was baptised at St. James's, Clerkenwell, London in 1745.   

     Today the largest concentration (72.1%) of the Langston surname is found in the United States primarily in the southeastern states.   In the United Kingdom 36.11 % are found mainly in the West Midlands region of England.  From the 16^th century onwards the Langton spelling surname seems to have been in the southern parts of Devon, and specifically the small town of Totnes.

Early Immigrants to North America

Variations of the surname

Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to unfold and expand often leading to an overwhelming number of variants.  As such one can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames because in early times, spelling in general and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized.  Later on spellings would change with the branching and movement of families.  Spelling variations of this family name include: Langton, Langston, Langstone and many others.   

The complexity of researching records is compounded by the fact that in many cases an ancestors surname may also have been misspelled.  This is especially true when searching census documents.   The Soundex Indexing System was developed in an effort to assist with identifying spelling variations for a given surname.  Soundex is a method of indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census, and can aid genealogists in their research.  The Soundex Code for Langston is L523.  Other surnames sharing this Soundex Code:  LAMAISTRE | LANGDON | LANGSDORF | LANGTON | LANGTRY | LANSDOWN | LEMASTER | LEMASTERS | LONGSTAFF | LONGSTREET | LONSDALE | LOWENSTEIN | LOWMASTER | LUMSDEN.

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Coat of arms

In the Middle Ages heraldry came into use as a practical matter. It originated in the devices used to distinguish the armored warriors in tournament and war, and was also placed on seals as marks of identity. As far as records show, true heraldry began in the middle of the 12th century, and appeared almost simultaneously in several countries of Western Europe.  In the British Isles the College of Arms (founded in 1483) is the Royal corporation of heralds who record proved pedigrees and grant armorial bearings.

Fig. 1

ARMORIAL BEARINGS

There are at least 40 associated armorial bearings for Langston and close variant spellings recorded in Reitstap’s Armorial General or Sir Bernard Burke’s General Armory. The following additional information has been found regarding the coats-of-arms shown at the left:

FIGURE 1: Variations (usually in the number of roses, and crest) of this coat-of-arms are attributed to several Langston and Langstone families of the British Isles.  These arms were granted to a Langston of Sedgeberrow and Malvern, Worcestershire, and descended to Henry Langstone known to have been a patron of Sedgeberrow Church in 1561.

FIGURE 2: These armorial bearings were originally granted to Langton of Broughton Tower in Lancashire, England.  They descended to several branches of this family as well as to William Langton, Esq, of Liverpool, Skinner Zachery, Esq., of Barrow House, Derwentwater, and William Langton, Esq., of Manchester.  The crest features a green eagle with two heads charged on the breast with a trefoil of gold. The motto is “Loyal au mort”.

FIGURE 3: These arms are contain of elements from the Comerford coat-of-arms and were originally granted to Henry Michael Faustinus Langton, Esq., of Danganmore, county Kilkenny in Ireland; This intricately designed shield is divided quarterly with the 1^st and 4^th quarters containing three red chevrons on a silver field. The 2^nd quarter contains four quadrants wherein the 1^st and 4^th quadrants each show a red field with a silver bend containing six ears or rye and the 2^nd and 3^rd quadrants feature a blue field containing a silver chevron and three griffins’ heads.  The 3^rd quarter shows a silver bugle horn with a red string and three gold stars. The crest features a red heart between two white wings and the motto is “Sursum corda.”

Figure 4: These arms were granted to Stephen Langton, Archibishop of Canterbury, in 1207-1228.

Figure 5: This coat-of-arms was granted to a Langton of Berwickshire, England.

MOTTO(ES)

The following listed mottoes and their translations are attributed to Langton: “All for religion”;  “In hoc signo vinces” translated as “Under this sign thou shalt conquer”;  “Loyal au mort”, translated as “Loyal to the dead”;  “Medio tutissimus”;  meaning “Safest in the middle”, and  “Sursum corda” translation “Hearts upwards.”

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

A Coat of Arms is defined as a group of emblems and figures (heraldic bearings) usually arranged on and around a shield and serving as the special insignia of some person, family, or institution.  Except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard "coat of arms" for a surname.  A coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, is a design usually granted only to a single person not to an entire family or to a particular surname.  Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee.  The rules and traditions regarding Coats of Arms vary from country to country. Therefore a Coat of Arms for an English family would differ from that of a German family even when the surname is the same.  The art of designing, displaying, describing, and recording arms is called heraldry. The use of coats of arms by countries, states, provinces, towns and villages is called civic heraldry.   Some of the more prominent elements incorporated into a  coat of arms are :

Crest - The word crest is often mistakenly applied to a coat of arms.  The crest was a later development arising from the love of pageantry.  Initially the crest consisted of charges painted onto a ridge on top of the helmet.

Wreath or Torse – The torse is a twist of cloth or wreath underneath and part of a crest. Always shown as six twists, the first tincture being the tincture of the field, the second the tincture of the metal, and so on.

Mantling – The mantling is a drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield.

Helm or Helmet - The helmet or helm is situated above the shield and bears the torse and crest. The style of helmet displayed varies according to rank and social status, and these styles developed over time, in step with the development of actual military helmets.

Shield or Arms - The basis of all coats of arms.  At their simplest, arms consist of a shield with a plain field on which appears a geometrical shape or object.  The items appearing on the shield are known as charges.

Motto - The motto was originally a war cry, but later mottoes often expressed some worthy sentiment. It may appear at the top or bottom of a family coat of arms.

Direct ancestors

Descendant Register

Generation 1

Elizabeth Isabella Langston (nee?)-1 was born on Abt. 1729. She died on Abt. 1826 in  Cumberland County, Virginia.

2.            i.        First Nm. Unk.? Langston, B: Abt. 1754 in Virginia ??, D: Aft. 1779 in Virginia ?.

Generation 2

First Nm. Unk.? Langston-2(Elizabeth Isabella Langston (nee?)-1) was born on Abt. 1754 in  Virginia ??. She died on Aft. 1779 in Virginia ?. She married ?? P. William Sheperd.  He died in  Virginia ?.

Child of First Nm. Unk.? Langston and P. William Sheperd is:

i.             Anthony Sheperd, B: 26 May 1779 in Albemarle County, Virginia, D: 28 Jun 1837 in Albemarle County, Virginia, M: 30 Sep 1808 in Albemarle County, Virginia.

Additional information about our DIRECT ANCESTORS  as well as a complete listing of individuals with this surname may be reviewed by clicking on the following LINK.

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Ancestral locations

Researching the locations where our ancestors lived has provided us with valuable evidence needed to fill-in the gaps in our family trees.  It has also led us to many interesting facts that enhance the overall picture of each family group. 

Locations of

Direct Ancestors

Locational Distribution

of  this Surname

Where In the World

are my Ancestors?

Locatiof Direct Ancestors

The names of states and counties on the following list were derived from the known places where the Direct Ancestors in the “Ancestral Lineage” (see above) were born, married, and / or died.

COUNTRY

STATE

COUNTY / SUBDIVISION

UNITED KINGDOM

England??

UNITED STATES

VIRGINIA

Albemarle Co.; Cumberland Co.; Fluvanna Co.

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ANCESTRAL LOCATIONS

Locational distributionstors

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Wjere are my ancestors Ancestors

Resources which enhance our knowledge of the places inhabited by our ancestors are almost as important as their names. The LINK to the right will take you to Maps, Gazetteers,   and  other  helpful   resources 

that will assist in discovering Ancestral Locations.  These web sites comprise only a small portion of what is available for researchers interested in learning more about where their ancestors lived.

Migration routes

Tracing our own family’s paths of migration can prove crucial in identifying previous generations and eventually, figuring out where and how they arrived in the “New World” as well as where they eventually settled.  Knowing the network of trails American pioneers traveled can help you guess where to start looking.  The trail map(s) provided below may assist you in understanding the routes that our direct ancestors of this family may have taken to find new homes and opportunities in the vast area now encompassed by the United States.

The migration pattern of our Langston ancestors can only be speculated as there is no known record of any inhabitation in America other than the 160 acre plantation Isabella Langston owned in near the middle fork of the Cunningham Creek in present day Fluvanna County, Virginia.   The family most likely came to Virginia around 1700 and landed at one of the primary settlements on the James, York or Rappahannock Rivers.  By the middle of the 18^th century the family had migrated into an area central Virginia now in Albemarle, Cumberland and Fluvanna counties. 

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Source documents

The documents contained within the “Source Documents Archives” have been located during my research of this family, and used as evidence to prove many of the facts contained within the database of this family’s record.

     Most of these documents can be considered as primary or secondary evidence.  Primary evidence is usually defined as the best available to prove the fact in question, usually in an original document or record.  Secondary evidence is in essence all that evidence which is inferior in its origin to primary evidence. That does not mean secondary evidence is always in error, but there is a greater chance of error.  Examples of this type of evidence would be a copy of an original record, or oral testimony of a record’s contents.  Published genealogies and family histories are also secondary evidence.

     Classifying evidence as either primary or secondary does not tell anything about its accuracy or ultimate value.  This is especially true of secondary evidence.  Thus it is always a good idea to ask the following questions: (1) How far removed from the original is it, (when it is a copy)?; (2) What was the reason for the creation of the source which contains this evidence?; and (3) Who was responsible for creating this secondary evidence and what interest did they have in its accuracy?

SOURCE:  Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 2^nd edition, Genealogical Publishing  Co., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1990, pgs. 62-63

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SOURCE DOCUMENTS

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Contact Information

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