Tobin Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Tobin Family History

Tobin Family History

The Tobin ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. The name Tobin is usually of Irish origin but was originally derived from Anglo-Norman settlers who arrived into Ireland after the twelfth century Strongbow invasion. The original form of the name was St. Aubyn, a Norman habitation name from Saint-Aubin in Brittany. Families of the name became completely integrated into Gaelic society and were 'hibernicized' with their original name being rendered as Toibin in Gaelic and then anglicized as Tobin. The original families settled in Counties Tipperary and Kilkenny, later spreading to Waterford and Cork. In mediaeval times they were so influential that the head of the family was known as the 'Baron of Coursey' and later in the fourteenth century they became so powerful that they were dreaded by the English authorities. Ballytobin in County Kilkenny, meaning 'Tobin's town', indicates their exact original location. The Tobin 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 Tobin descendants.