de Vesci (Vescy, Vecey, Vesey, Vasey, Vessey, Veasie, Veazey, Veasy and Veasey) is the surname of an old

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

noble family originating from

Vassy, Calvados Vassy () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Valdallière. It is said to be the origin of the surnames de Vesci and Vesely in En ...

, also known as the House of de Vesci. The first records are about Robert de Vesci, Norman conqueror and

Ivo de Vesci Ivo de Vesci, sometimes spelt Vescy and first name sometimes Yves, was a prominent 11th-century English noble. He obtained lands and the lordship of Alnwick in Northumberland from King William II of England. He was also given lands in Malton, ...

, Lord of Alnwick. The de Vesci family held lands in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Saluzzo Saluzzo (; pms, Salusse ) is a town and former principality in the province of Cuneo, in the Piedmont region, Italy. The city of Saluzzo is built on a hill overlooking a vast, well-cultivated plain. Iron, lead, silver, marble, slate etc. are fo ...

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

and in

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

. The family was also linked to the Scottish Crown through the marriage of

Eustace de Vesci Eustace de Vesci (1169–1216) was an English lord of Alnwick Castle, and a ''Magna Carta'' surety. He also held lands in Sprouston, Roxburghshire, Scotland as brother in-law to King Alexander II of Scotland. Eustace was a leader during the Baro ...

to Margaret, the oldest but illegitimate child and daughter of

William the Lion William the Lion, sometimes styled William I and also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough"''Uilleam Garbh''; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10. ( 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as King of Scots from 11 ...

by a daughter of Adam de Hythus.

William de Vesci William de Vesci (c.1125–1184) was an Anglo-Norman feudal lord and Sheriff. Born William fitz Eustace at Knaresborough Castle, Yorkshire, the son of Eustace Fitz John and Beatrix de Vesci, he took his mother's surname. He was appointed Sher ...

was one of the

competitors for the Crown of Scotland When the crown of Scotland became vacant in September 1290 on the death of the seven-year-old Queen Margaret, 13 claimants to the throne came forward. Those with the most credible claims were John Balliol, Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale, ...

, upon the death of

Margaret, Maid of Norway Margaret (, ; March or April 1283 – September 1290), known as the Maid of Norway, was the queen-designate of Scotland from 1286 until her death. As she was never inaugurated, her status as monarch is uncertain and has been debated by historian ...

in 1290. It is thought to be the origin of the name Vesely in England.

French origin

The family descend from Hugh, Lord of Vassy (Waacie).

England

Robert de Vesci obtained lands in Northamptonshire, Warwick, Lincoln, and Leicester. Ivo de Vesci obtained lands and the lordship of Alnwick in

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land ...

from King

William II of England William II ( xno, Williame; – 2 August 1100) was King of England from 26 September 1087 until his death in 1100, with powers over Normandy and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales. The third so ...

. His heiress Beatrix de Vesci married

Eustace fitz John Eustace fitz John (died 1157), Constable of Chester, was a powerful magnate in northern England during the reigns of Henry I, Stephen and Henry II. From a relatively humble background in South East England, Eustace made his career serving Henry I ...

, with their child

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

taking his mother's name. His descendants held lands in Malton,

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

. Warin de Vesci, son of Eustace de Vesci, held lands in

Knapton Knapton is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is southeast of Cromer, northeast of Norwich and northeast of London. The Village is located alongside the B1145 a route which runs between King's Lynn and ...

, Yorkshire.

Ireland

Through Agnes de Vesci, née de Ferrer, the family obtained lands in 1247 in County Kildare, including Kildare Castle. Agnes's son

inherited the lands in 1290. However he quarrelled fiercely with Sir John FitzThomas, Lord Offaly and surrendered the lands in 1297 to the crown.

Scotland

Gilbert de Vesci, settled in Scotland shortly after the Conquest and obtained the lands of Ayton in

Berwickshire Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of t ...

, and adopted the name of the lands as his family name.

obtained the Lordship of Sprouston in Roxburghshire and other lands as part of the dowry of his wife Margaret of Scotland, illegitimate daughter of King William of Scotland.

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vesci, de Medieval English families Scottish monarchy Lordship of Ireland Irish families Anglo-Norman families De Vesci family Scottish families

French origin

England

Ireland

Scotland

See also

References