Courtenay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Courtenay was first found in the Gâtinais province of France, where they held the castle of Courtenay since the 10th century. They claim descent from the Counts of Sens and from Pharamond, reputed founder of the French monarchy in 420. However, historians have only been able to prove the line back to about the year 1020, in the Isles of France where they were descended from the great Emperor Charlemagne. The name was established by this trace only to the year 790. 1

Regardless of the earliest origin, in the mid-12th century, a branch of the family settled in England, where they obtained the barony of Okehampton and inherited the title of Earls of Devon in 1293. "This illustrious house is descended from Reginald de Courtney, who came over to England with Henry II AD 1151." 2

Another source notes that Whitchurch in Devon was home to the family. "Walreddon House, here, the property of William Courtenay, Esq., a descendant of the Courtenays, earls of Devon, is an ancient mansion of the time of Edward VI., whose arms in the hall are still in good preservation." 3

"Powderham Castle [in Exeter, Devon] holds the first place among the ancient mansions of the county. No other great house continues so fully its olden glories. Nearly six centuries have passed since the Courtenays first seated themselves by the Exe, at Powderham, and there, amidst many vicissitudes, they have continued. At the compilation of ' Domesday,' Powderham was one of the two Devonshire manors of William de Ow, and on his forfeiture came to a family who thence took name. The attainder of John de Powderham led to the manor becoming the property of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford ; and his daughter Margaret, in 1325, brought it to her husband Hugh, the second Courtenay Earl of Devon." 4

"The House of Courtenay is the most distinguished family of Devon. They have been called ' the ubiquitous Courtenays,' for there is hardly a parish in the county which is not linked with their history by some traces of lordship or alliance. The history of the English branch of this great house, whose famous coat of three torteaux 'at once waved over the towers of Edessa, and was reflected by the waters of the Seine/ has been set forth most graphically by Gibbon. Ranked among the chief barons of the realm, it was not 'till after a strenuous dispute that they yielded to the fief of Arundel the first place in Parliament. Their alliances were contracted with the noblest families the Veres, De Spencers, Bonviles, St. Johns, Talbots, Bohuns, and even the Plantagenets themselves ; and in a contest with John of Lancaster, a Courtenay, Bishop of London and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, might be accused of profane confidence in the strength and numbers of his kindred." 4

Wooton-Courtney in Somerset was another ancient family seat. "This parish takes the adjunct to its name from the Courtney family, who formerly held the manor." 3

"The manor of Braddock [Cornwall] was at a very early period in the Courtenay family, in which it continued until the attainder of the Marquis of Exeter. In ancient times, St. Bennet's, when in a state of comparative magnificence, was long the seat of the Courtenay family, by a female branch of whom it was sold in 1710 to Bernard Pennington." 5