My name is John Venus and William D'Venoix and Richard D'Venoix are mentioned in my family tree - connection?

+3 votes
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My name is John Venus from Australia. My family - Thomas Venus and his new wife Jane Macalpine emigrated to South Australia in 1853 from County Durham - Stockton-on-tees. Research states that William and Richard D'Venoix moved to England in 1133 and form part of my ancestry as the name was later Anglicised to Venus. Can a connection with Geoffrey of Venoix mentioned in this article be established?

WikiTree profile: Geoffrey le Mareschal
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3 Answers

0 votes

Surnamedb.com for the Venus surname, references the village of Venoix. 

Venus

This very interesting surname is English but of Norman-French origins. Although apparently suggesting association with the Roman goddess of love, it is in fact locational from the village of Venoix, a place in the departement of Calvados, in the former dukedom of Normandy. Introduced into England by followers of Duke William of Normandy at the time of the famous invasion of England in 1066, the surname is first recorded in the early part of the 12th century as shown below. There are many examples of these recordings, and samples taken from the surviving rolls and charters of the medieval period include: William de Venuz, in the Charter Rolls of Hampshire in 1197; Robert de Veniz, listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Hampshire in 1203; and William de Venus, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Warwickshire in the year 1230. In the modern idiom the surname is also spelt as Venes, Veness, Venis and Venise, leading, in some cases, to the erroneous conclusion that the name is locational from the Italian city of Venice. The spelling Venus is particularly widespread in the north east of England, and recordings include: the christening of Ann Venus, at St. Margaret's, Durham, on April 8th 1626, and the marriage of Elizabeth Venus to Robert Sawer at Lythe, Yorkshire, on May 16th 1647. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Venuiz. This was dated 1130, in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire, during the reign of King Henry 1st of England, also known as "The Lion of Justice", 1100 - 1135. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

© Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2016



Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Venus#ixzz467W6iuSf

by Frank Gill G2G Astronaut (2.5m points)
0 votes
Hi John,

I'm also  a Venus, but from Gateshead. My Great Great Grandfather moved up to Tyneside in about 1875 from Kent and although I am aware of the Stockton Venus's, I don't think there is a connection.

I do have an interest in the De Venoix family, however and there are two threads I'd like to discuss with you.

Best Regards,

Rob Venus
by
Hi Rob, Nice to hear from you. A fair time ago now a family of Venus's arrived from the UK and settled in the southern suburbs of Adelaide. I have had only very tenuous contact with them but know they came from Crowborough (is that how you spell it?) in Sussex I believe. As you are a northerner it is quite possible we are related. My great grandfather from Stockton - married Jane MacAlpine in Glasgow and they immediately left for South Australia arriving in 1853. I do have some photos of that old family - both in the UK before they left and then in older age here in Australia. I have a nephew Robert Venus living in Melbourne by the way.

Very best wishes from a very cold Adelaide Hills.

John
Hi John, Thanks for getting back to me.

Sorry to hear it's cold in Melbourne, but nice to know that you have a namesake of mine out there. I'm sure he must be very good-looking and intelligent !!!!

I think you have to be very careful with the Geoffrey de Venoix link as the name seems to have migrated to MARSHALL  after his title "Le Mareschal".

There is a family fable that our line of De Venoix started with the crossing of the channel in a row boat in about 1585, of 3 brothers. Nicholas de Venoix, the elder brother, then seems to be the start of our dynasty in the Brightling area of Sussex.

As Frank Gill pointed out in his reply, there were Venus's in Durham and Yorkshire in the early 1600's. How far back have you got ?

I have a contact in Melbourne and also in WA who are researching the Venus/Veness/Venice names.

Please let me know if you think I can help any further.

Best Regards,

Rob Venus

Hi Rob, I am not in Melbourne. My nephew Rob is. Yes, he is good looking - as are all the Venus's. ;-)  I live in a little town called Oakbank in the Adelaide Hills about 30 Km from Adelaide about 750 km from Melbourne. I have never heard of any connection with a Geoffrey de Venoix, only William and Richard. My grandfather was William and a cousin in Adelaide is Richard so the names have stuck. My Great grandfather was Thomas Venus. My family also had connections in Perth WA.

Cheers

John

Hi John,

Sorry my Australian geography leaves a lot to be desired !!

In my research I did come across a John G. Venus, born in 1851 in Norton, Stockton-on-Tees. Could he be one of yours ?

Frank Gill mentions the De Venoix's who came across with William the Conqueror in 1066, so I assumed you were looking in that direction.

As you mention Perth, I have a contact there who knows a lot about the Veness and Venus names in Australia. I could put you in touch if you want.

All the best,

Rob
Thomas Venus came from Stockton so that John G is doubtless related. The G possibly is 'George'. My father was (George Edward - 1901 -1996). The family 'Golightly' is also connected. Thomas's father was John but we are going back to the 1830's then the 18th century where there are more Johns.

Best wishes

John
0 votes

In the current article, from Complete Peerage:

"In England the name became Venuz, and in Round’s opinion this is the origin of the surname Venus, still extant in Sussex (ante, vol. iii, p. 618), and immortalised by Dickens in Our Mutual Friend."

These sources are available online.

by Andrew Lancaster G2G6 Pilot (140k points)

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