Melton Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Melton Family History

Melton Family History

The Melton ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Melton is a locality name meaning 'of Melton', from parishes found in Counties Suffolk, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Leicester and Lincoln. This name is of English descent and is found in many ancient manuscripts in the above country. Examples of such are a John de Melton, County Norfolk, who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273 and a Nicholas de Melton, County Yorkshire, who was also recorded in the same year in this ancient document.

Names were recorded in these ancient documents to make it easier for their overlords to collect taxes and to keep records of the population at any given time. When the overlords acquired land by either force or gifts from their rulers, they created charters of ownership for themselves and their vassals. It was by the method of creating and updating these old reference books that they were able to maintain their authority and enforce laws.

Other examples of this name were found in the person of a Ricardus de Melton, who was recorded in the 'Poll Tax', of the West Riding of Yorkshire, in the year 1379. In Ireland the name Melton was introduced into Ulster Province by settlers from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. The Melton family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Melton descendants.