This French medieval given name LA COSTE, also spelt COST, COSTEN and CONSTANTINE meant 'steadfast and faithful' and was borne by an 8th century Irish martyr. This surname has also absorbed examples of the name Constans, which was borne by a 2nd century martyr, bishop of Perugia. The name was popular in Continental Europe, and to a lesser extent in England, as having been borne by the first Christian ruler of the Roman Empire, Constantine the Great (?280-338) in whose honour Byzantium was renamed Constantinople. The name was brought into England in the wake of the Norman Invasion of 1066. Most of the European surnames were formed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The process had started somewhat earlier and had continued in some places into the 19th century, but the norm is that in the tenth and eleventh centuries people did not have surnames, whereas by the fifteenth century most of the population had acquired a second name. It was the name of an Anglo-Norman family said to be descended from a certain Radulf, who is recorded as holder of land in Shropshire in the Domesday Book of 1086. Walter de Constantiis (died 1207) was Vice Chancellor of England in 1173, and as archbishop of Rouen he was present at the coronation of Richard I. Bearers of this name are frequently recorded in Norman and English records between 918 and 1206. A notable member of this name was Robert LACOSTE (l898-l989) French socialist politician, born in Azerat. He began his career as a tax-collector. Later he became editor of the civil servants' journal and a member of the administrative committee of the CGT. In World War II he began the first trade union Resistance group. In l944 he was minister of industrial production, and was minister for industry and commerce in l946-7 and again in l948. From l956 to l958 he was resident minister in Algeria and his at times ruthless campaign against the rebels there served to underline one controversial aspect of French post-war politics. He was senator for the Dordogne, l97l-l980. |
ORDER BY NOVEMBER 28th FOR XMAS DELIVERY
VIEW OUR CREST GIFT ITEMS HEREPURCHASE AN EMAILED JPG PURCHASE A HISTORY & CREST 
|