Vause Family History

English (Yorkshire and Lancashire) is of Norman origin and is a habitational name derived from Vaux, which is a common French placename. The singular and plural forms originate from val, meaning ‘valley,’ with the plural form being Latinized in surnames as de Vallibus.

Norman lords with this surname are recorded in 12th- and early 13th-century records across various regions including Cumberland (Irthington), Devon (Farwood in Colyton), East Yorkshire (Warter), Essex (Belchamp), and Leicestershire (Belvoir).

Additionally, the name may be compared to Vale. There is a possibility that the nickname arises from Middle English terms such as fals, faus, or vaus, as well as from Old French and Old English variations, all of which refer to deceitful, disloyal, dishonest, or mendacious characteristics.

However, it is more likely that the name originates from the common Anglo-Norman French substitution of le for de within their surnames, suggesting a different progression of meaning.