From Where Does The Surname Originate? ^{meaning and history}

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The cardinal Pierre or Pieron de Capes, preacher of the IV Crusade and Innocent papal legate III, was born with the Kingdom from Naples, Amalfi, and made his studies in Paris. It is especially known under the name of Pierre de Capoue alias Pietro Capuano, of the name of the city of which he was a cardinal. One could suppose that Capys or Capis, name of the founder of the town of Capoue, was used for Villehardouin to build a new identifier. Indeed, with the Middle Ages, because Latin remains omnipresent, Capes, Capis and Capoue are often taken as synonyms. Another assumption would be which Capes is here a kind of `Francization' of the Capece patronym carried by important and very former family originating in the Kingdom of Naples .This family gave cardinals, archbishops and bishops with the Church. The Italian cardinal Pierre de Capes was one of the most important figures of the pontifical diplomacy of the 13th century. Under the authority from Innocent III, it pronounced the interdict, sanction preceding excommunication, to be opposed to the divorce of Philippe Auguste and successfully negotiated a truce between the king of France and Richard Lion Heart. Pierre de Capes or of Capoue was known like a diplomat `crafty one and misleading, cunning in his language'.

Around the year 1150, two gentlemen soldiers carrying the name of Capes or Chappes, appear vassal Champagne barons, in an account of Villehardouin Of the conqueste of Constantinople, relating to the IV Crusade. Geoffroi de Villehardouin is a chronicler and cross knight of the Middle Ages, seneschal of Champagne about 1180. The Chronicle mentions that two gentlemen Guis de Capes or de Chappes and his/her brother or Clairambaus nephew took part in this crusade. Villehardouin also indicates the presence of a cardinal preacher Pierre de Capes or Chappes, papal legate Innocent III. Guis and Clairambaus de Capes quoted by Villehardouin are also called Guido and Clairambaudo de Capis in the Latin texts. One finds also a trace of Clairambaudo de Capis in a book of account of the Champagne Court, also writes in Latin. Guido de Capis is announced like provost of the town of Troyes. As the town of Chappes is located at 20km of Troyes, the Latin name Capis probably refers to the town of Chappes which was written also Capes with the Middle Ages.

Many references corroborate the french origine of the Capes patronym. The current geographical distribution of the Capes patronym results mainly from the mixing of population generated in Europe of the Middle Ages by the conquest Norman of England and the crusades. At beginning, the conquest Norman played a crucial part in the diffusion of this patronym in England and probably also in current French Aquitaine, the old English Guyenne. Later, a primarily English immigration at the 17th century, up to the medium of 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, led to its propagation in the whole of North America. Concerning the French Capes mainly established in Aquitaine, an English filiation seems difficult to draw aside completely.