This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'de Courtenay,' in the Isle of France; a great Devonshire family.

Hugo de Courteney, Devon, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

John de Curtenay, Somerset, ibid.

Henry de Curteneye, Somerset, ibid.

Hugh de Courteneye, Bedfordshire, 20 Edward.

Egelina de Curtenay, Oxfordshire, Henry III-Edward I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

Robert de Curteneya, Devon, ibid.

Alienora de Courtenaye, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby—s Quest.

Johannes Courtenay, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Ricardus Courteney, 1379: ibid.

1563. Married — George Fynche and Anne Courtneye: St. Michael, Cornhill.

1586. — William Cortney and Dorothie Maddoxe: St. James, Clerkenwell.

1792. — George Courtenay and Catherine Stapelton: St. George, Hanover Square.

Belonging to a place of the name in France. William de Courtney married Ada, daughter of Patrick, earl of Dunbar and obtained with her the lands of Home (Chalmers, Caledonia, I, p. 499). Notwithstanding this early entry the name is most probably of much later introduction. John Courtney and William Courtney were residents in the parish of Senneck, 1684 (RPC., 3, ser. IX, p. 568).

(Anglo-French- or Irish-French-Latin) belonging to Courtenay (France) [from Low Latin curt-is, a farmstead: v. under Court] There is a Courtenay in the Dept. of Loiret and another in the Dept. of Isère.

(Italian, French) Descendant of Cuirnin (little horn or drinking cup); one who came from Courtenay, the name of two places in France.

“The primitive record of the Courtenays,” says Gibbon, “is a passage of the continuation of Armoin, a monk of Fleury, who wrote in the twelfth century.” About a hundred years before, Hatto, the son of Reginald, built the castle of Courtenay, and was thence surnamed. “Milo, his eldest son, married a daughter of the Count of Nevers, and had, 1, Reginald, whose daughter married Peter, grandson of Louis VII. of France (Anselme), and was ancestor of the Counts of Nevers, Emperors of Constantinople: 2, Josceline. Josceline, the younger son, had two sons, Reginald and William, of whom Reginald married Hawisa, daughter and heir of Maud de Abrincis or Avranches, widow of Robert de Avranches, Viscount of Devon and Baron of Oakhampton.” —The Norman People. This Reginald, whom Henry II. “distinguished in his camp and councils,” founded the great Devon house, which was only less illustrious than its parent stock in France, though the latter claimed the rank of Princes of the Blood, It was said that the Courtenays and the Bourbons always wore family mourning for each other, in recognition of their kinship and wore the Imperial purple during the Lower Empire. The English Courtenays mingled their blood with the Plantagenets, twice married princesses, “who may (though not in strictly legal language) be called the co-heiresses of the throne” (Sir Harris Nicolas): and held, in addition to the Marquessate of Exeter, one of the most ancient of our earldoms, which, after lying dormant for nearly three hundred years, was restored to William Courtenay in 1831. But it is more than doubtful whether their name should be admitted here. It is certainly not found in Domesday; and according to Sir Egerton Brydges, “the family is recorded not to have come hither till the reign of Henry II.,” when Reginald married the Avranches heiress.

Though the pedigree of this family is carried up to Pharamond, the founder of the French monarchy in the year 420, Gibbon only traces the residence of the race at Courtenay, in the Isle of France, to the year 1020. Indeed it would be useless to attempt to carry the origin of the surname beyond that point, notwithstanding the extremely curious and ingenious suggestion which follows: In the history of France we find, that "Charlemagne avait donne l'Aquitaine, avec le titre de roi, a son fils Louis, sous la tutelle de Guillaume au Court-Nez, duc de Toulouse." Now who knows but the great French family of the Courtenays, and the illustrious Courtenays of Devonshire, may owe their name to this deficiency of nose in William of Toulouse? Though he does not pretend to get at the root, Gibbon only traces the family to 1020, when they were established at Courtenay; but the sobriquet was given about the year 790, and might have conferred a name upon the castle which William inhabited, and the country round it." N. & Q. vi. 106.

Local. A town of France which stands on a hill on the banks of the small river Clairy, about fifty—six miles south of Paris. This small town has imparted its name to several princes, whose actions are celebrated in French history. The name signifies "The court near the water."

In 941 Fromund was constituted Count of Sens (L’Art de Vérif. les Dates), and was father of Reginald or Rayner I., who built the Castle of Chateau-Raynard. From his elder son Fromund II. descended the Counts of Sens, extinct 1055. Reginald, the younger son, possessed Chateau- Raynard, Courtenay, and Montargis, the hereditary estates of this line (Anselme, i. 473). Hatto, his son, built the Castle of Courtenay, and was thence surnamed (Bouquet, x. 222). This baron, according to authorities cited by Cleveland (Hist. House of Courtenay), had, 1. Milo; 2. Josceline, Count of Edessa; 3. Geoffry, slain in battle with the Saracens. Milo m. a dau. of the Count of Nevers, and had, 1. Reginald, whose dau. m. Peter, grandson of Louis VII. of France (Anselme), and was ancestor of the Counts of Nevers, Emperors of Constantinople; 2. Josceline. Josceline, the younger son, had two sons, Reginald and William, of whom Reginald m, Hawisa, dau. and heir of Maud de Abrincis or Avrances, widow of Robert de A., Viscount of Devon, and Baron of Oakhampton; and William de C. mar. Matilda, dau. of the same Maude by her second husband, Robert Fitz-Roy, who held Oakhampton in right of his wife 1165 (Lib. Niger). He appears to have left no issue.

Hugh de Courtenay, son of Reginald, in 1203 was possessed of the greater part of the barony, but Hawisa, his mother, still held eighteen knights’ fees, Devon (Rotulus Cancellarii). In 1205 Robert de C. succeeded his brother, and from this date the history of the Courtenays, Earls of Devon, Marquises of Exeter, and their various branches, is well known.

Courtenay: an interpolation. Reginald de Courtenay did not come to England till the reign of Henry II., in consequence of his marriage with the heiress of Robert d’Avranches, Viscount of Devon.

A Norman name: Catenay, local name