Vernon (surname)

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Vernon is a surname, from a masculine name that is derived from the Gaul word vern for Alder tree (also springlike, flourishing, or full of life) and a Gaulish-latin suffix indicating a location. Thus Vernon is a "place of alders". Variants include Vern, Vernard, Verne and Verna. Vernon was introduced into England as an aristocratic surname at the time of the Norman conquest. A Hispanic variant is spelled Vernón, which is in keeping with other two syllable names ending in on such as Colón, or Simón.


[edit] Vernons in the Eleventh Century

The earliest use of the name of Vernon as a surname that has been discovered dates from the early 1030s when a Hugh de Vernon was recorded as one of the men consenting to a grant of land by Duke Robert of Normandy to the abbey of St Wandrille at Serville, ten miles north of Rouen. [1]Although the Hugh and his family were to become lords of Vernon later in the eleventh century, Hugh was not lord of Vernon at the time of this charter as the Dukes of Normandy held this title personally until 1035 and in that year Duke William, Robert’s son, then granted the title to his cousin, Guy de Burgundy. The lordship would have passed to Hugh de Vernon in 1047 following the failed rebellion of Guy de Burgundy. Hugh survived until the early 1050s when he was succeeded as lord of Vernon by his son William.


WP Anthroponymy notice This page or section lists people with the surname Vernon. If an internal link for a specific person referred you to this page, you may wish to add the given name(s) to that link.
  1. ^ M.Fauroux, Actes des Ducs de Normandie, 911-1066, No.80

[edit] References

  • The Vernons - the website of Vernon Family descendants