History of the Long-Lang Surname
This section aims to provide useful and interesting historical information on the name of Long or Lang. Over time, this section will grow since we have in our possession a number of documents which time prevented us from including in this volume. Anyone interested in contributing research of information in this section is welcome to make it available to the author or any other member of the Genealogical Group.
1000 – 1200
The origin of the Long surname is clouded in some mystery. There appears to be at least two competing theories for the origins of the names. The first is that it is variation on a Norman-French place name such as “de Longues” or “de Longa”. The other theory is that it is based on physical or other characteristics similar to surnames like Short, Wise, and Strong. There are also Longs in Scotland who became Langs, Laings, and the Longmans, Langmans. Also there are links to Longman, and Longfellow in England.
Here are some excerpts from a document entitled “The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname – LONG”. “…. Shows the first record of the name Long was found in Wiltshire (England) where they were seated from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.” “The family name Long is believed to be descended originally from the Norman race. They were commonly believed to be of French origin but were, more accurately, of Viking origin.” “The surname Long emerged as a notable English family name in the county of Wiltshire where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor and estates in that shire. They were descended from a Norman noble of Preux in Normandy. This distinguished name settled in Wiltshire ….” “by the 13th century they had branched to Symington, Rowde Ashton, and Whaddon, and Beckington in Somerset, Monkton Farley and Bainton in Wiltshire, Preshaw in Oxford, and in the county of Norfolk.”
1200 – 1600
The name Long appears in a number of official records in England.. Here are some examples: Henry l Longe, co. Bucks, 1273. A., John le Longe, co. Hunts, ibid., Walter le Longe, co. Salop, ibid., Johanna Long, 1399: P. T. Yorks, p.130., 1536-37: Thomas Botton and Mary Long: marriage License (London), I.9.
One branch of the Long family eminated from the Prieux of France, in 1400.
Another source indicates that the Longs were at the defense of Londonderry (1688-1689), England.
Coat of Arms
The oldest grant of a Coat of Arms is for John Long, who died A.D. 1597. The Long Coat of Arms is described as follows:
Arms: Sa. Within two flaunches and semee of cross-crosslets or, a lion rampant argent.
Creat: A lion’s head argent, erased or, holding in the mouth a dexter hand erased gu.
Motto: Pieux quoique Preux. (Pious though valiant)
Burkes’ Landed Gentry
The following Long descendants line was found on a web site:
FAIR, Philip IV the
Birth : 1268
Death : 1314
Gender: Male
Parents:
Father: BOLD, Philip III the
Family:
Children:
X, Louis
Gender: Male
LONG, Philip V the
Gender: Male
FAIR, Charles IV the
Gender: Male
, Isabella
Gender: Female
VALOIS, Charles Count of
Gender: Male
Parents:
Father: BOLD, Philip III the
Family:
Children:
VALOIS, Philip VI of
The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origins, Meaning and History by George F. Black, Ph.D., The New York Public Library (First Printing, 1946, Reprint 1979).
LONG. A surname descriptive of the stature of the roginal bearer. Johannes Longus who witnessed a grant to the Hospital of Soltre, c. 1180-1214 (Soltre, p. 5) is doubtless the Johannes Longus who witnessed the grant of Gillemoristun by Richard de Morevil, a. 1189 (REG., p. 39), and c. 1180 a charter by Euerard de Pencathlan to Kelso (Kelso, 370). William Longus held land near Lynthonrothrik (?c. 1200) (RHM., I, 3), Adam Long appears in Dumfriesshire, c. 1259 (Bain, I, 2176; APS., I, p. 88), Gregory le Long was a burgess of Dundee in 1268 (Balmerinoch, p. 25), and c. 1350 William Long witnessed confirmation of Snawdoun to Dryburgh (Dryburgh, 232).
A Dictionannary of English and Welsh Surnames with Special American Instances, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1980. English Publisher; Harldry Today.
Long. – Nickname “the Long”, from the stature of the orignal bearer; cf. Longfellow and Longman; cf. also Short, &c.
Henry le Longe, co. Bucks, 1273. A.
John le Longe, co. Hunts, ibid.
Walter le Longe, co. Salop., ibid.
Johanna Long, 1379: P.T. Yorks., p. 130
1536-7. Thomas Bolton and Mary Long: Marriage Lic. (London), i. 9.
London, 75; New York, 124.
British Family Names, Their Origin and Meaning with Lists of Scandinavian, Frisian, Anglo-Saxon and Norman Names, by Rev. Henry Barber, M.D., F.S.A., author of “Furness and Carmetl Notes, The Cisternaia Abbey of Maulbronn, Some Queer Names, and the shrines of St Boniface at Fulda. Elliott Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, E.C., 1903. Republished by Gale Research Company, Book Tower, Detroit, 1968.
Long. N.-Fr. (Normand French). De Longa, De Longues; p.n. Also Prot. ref., Longon 1621, in Rot. Hund.
A Dictionary of Scottish Emrigrants to the U.S.A., compiled and Edited by Donald Whyte, F.S.A. Scot., L.H.G., Magna Carta Boook Company, Baltimaore, Maryland. 1981.
Long, Henry. From Galloway, Wigtonshire. To New York on Gale, ex Stranraer, 16 May, 1774. Labourer. (T. 47/12).
Burke’s American Families with British Ancestry: The Lineages of 1,600 Families of British Origin Now Resident in the United STates of America, Genalogical Publishing Company, Inc. Baltimore, 1977.
First recorded Long to cross the Atlantic.
Robert Long, who went to Plymouth, Massachussetts, 1621 on the ship The Supply (sister ship to the Mayflower which arrived three weeks earlier – the Mayflower did not arrive where it was intended to … but The Supply did!).
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20110917160015/http://www.beaglz.com/english/history_of_the_longlang_surname.htm