Voise History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Voise

The distinguished surname Voise is one of the many to have come to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is derived from "Voise," the name of a place in the Eure-et-Loir region of France. It is likely that the first bearer of this name in England was one who had emigrated from the village of Voise. 1

Alternatively, the name could have originated from the word "vose," meaning "a ditch, entrenchment, wall, fortification," from the Latin word "fossa." 2

Early Origins of the Voise family

Early History of the Voise family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Voise research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1435, 1647, 1660, 1674 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Voise History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Voise Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Voice, Voyce, Foyce, Voise, Voyse and others.

Early Notables of the Voise family

More information is included under the topic Early Voise Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Voise family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Voise or a variant listed above: Jonathan Voyce, who immigrated to Virginia in 1638; William Voyce, who arrived in Barbados in 1679; Jane Voice, who settled in Charleston, South Carolina in 1767.