Vernon is a surname, from a masculine name that is derived from the Gallic 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, Verna, Sberna, Sberno. Vernon was introduced into England as an aristocratic surname at the time of the Norman conquest. It was adapted into Spanish as "Vernón".

Earliest use as a surname

The earliest known use of Vernon as a surname dates from 1031 in Normandy, when a Hugh son of Roger de Vernon granted the church of St Peter in Fourques (probably either the present day Saint Paul de Fourques or St Eloi de Fourques) to the Abbey of St Ouen in Rouen.[1]

A few years later Hugh 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.[2] Although Hugh and his family were to become lords of the town and castle of Vernon later in the eleventh century, Hugh was not its lord at the time of this charter as the Dukes of Normandy held this title personally until 1035. In that year Duke William, Robert's son, then granted the title to his cousin, Guy de Burgundy. The lordship seems to 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.

For descendants of this family, see:

Vernon family
Vernon baronets
Baron Vernon
Earl of Shipbrook
Edward Vernon (1684–1757), British admiral

Notable people with this surname

References

  1. ↑ Luke Potter, http://vernonfamilytree.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/roger-de-vernon-first-of-vernons.html ,
  2. ↑ M.Fauroux, Actes des Ducs de Normandie, 911–1066, No.80
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