Marmion is a surname found in France, Great Britain and Ireland, of Norman-French origin. English writers have mistaken the origin of the name as stemming from the French 'Marmiton' or 'Marmite' in the sense of a kitchen utensil or worker. Whereas actually it derives from the ancient and medieval meaning of 'marmite' as a representative of another person, filling in a role for another – and in this case relates directly as an occupational name concerning the noble office of 'champion' of the Duke of Normandy held by the family from at least the 11th century. The function was to stand-up to any challenges against the legitimacy of the Duke, and the office continues to this day in the title 'Champion of England' still held via a distaff descent of a Marmion heiress to the Dymoke family. References are cited below.
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Marmion of Lincolnshire and Warwickshire
The first Marmions in Britain were Normans, who received English land after the Norman Conquest. The family retained their properties at Fontenay-le-Marmion in Normandy, where the head of the family was a Viscount and held the office of 'Champion of the Duke of Normandy', and following the Duke's conquest of England, also served as Hereditary Champion for the Kings of England. The family traces itself: to Baron Robert Marmion, who died in 1144, to his father Baron Roger who died 1131 and to his father Viscount Robert who died 1106 who was as Champion of Normandy allied to Robert Curthose, and who soldiered on the 1st Crusade 1096–99, to his father Roger-le-Viel (Roger the Old) who was present with his son at the Norman Conquest of England (at Hastings 1066) and who died c.1075, to his father William who died c. 1055 who had entered Normandy with Rollo the Viking, for the Marmions were originally of Viking origin as were all the Normans.
Notable English Marmions
Marmion of Ireland
The first Marmion in Ireland arrived with the Anglo-Normans in the first invasions of 1169–71. The progenitor was Sir Robert Marmion of 'Fidun' where he built a castle (modern Fathom, County Armagh – a strategic defensive area for the Norman-Irish). He was the younger son of Sir Richard Marmion of Gloucester. He is documented in lists of Strongbow's companions and also in a 'prest' of knights held by King John in Dublin in 1210. Immediate descendants were a Bishop Philip of Ardfert and a Sir Gilbert, also mentioned as of 'Fidun'. The Marmions later gave up living at Fidun due to frontier pressures and removed to close-by Carlingford where they were important burgesses and leaders for centuries, until the then Chief-of-Name Marmion forfeited all his lands as an 'Irish Papist' to the Cromwellian invaders, circa 1655.
Historically, the heaviest concentration of the name is indeed found in County Louth, in Carlingford and Dundalk; and then later in Lecale Barony of County Down and County Meath from the 150's, with a smaller branch in County Cork from the 17th century. The Marmions still remain numerous in Louth. There was some emigration of Marmions from Louth to the Mourne area of County Down in the 18th century but there is no further family representation in that area at present.
Irish Marmions
Roger, Baron of Tamworth, Scrivelsby & Llanstephan, who died 1131 and had sons Robert and Roger. He was married to Millicenta D'Abetot (one reference cigtes her name as Abilene), a daughter of either Robert Dispensier (also called Robert D'Abetot or Robert-the-Steward) or of his brother Urse D'Abetot, a powerful person and Sheriff of Worcestershire. The Marmions returned to Normandy after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, undoubtedly due to the 'champion' office and to William-the-Conqueror retaining Normandy as the centre of his government – and wanting some loyal supporters remaining there though many Normans did immediately received English lands. Thus the Marmions did not immediately take up any grants of land in England as some English historians have incorrectly written. The family did not receive any important English lands until the capture of Normandy by King Henry I, youngest son of The Conqueror, in 1106. The Marmions had retained support for the oldest son of the Conqueror, Robert Curthose, who was captured by the usurping Henry in 1106 and then locked up in prison in Wales until his death in 1134–35. Henry I, now Duke of Normandy as well as King of England, desired to reconcile with the followers of his brother and that policy led to Robert Marmion and his son Roger receiving Tamworth (probably 1106–08) and Scrivelsby at the forfeiture of the Lincolnshire lands by the son of Urse D'Abetot (1110), for the Marmions were already related to the D'Abetots via Roger's marriage to a daughter of that family. Roger went on to win a lordship in Wales after 1110, at Llanstephan and thus at his death 1131) he held the lordships of Tamworth, Scrivelsby, and Llanstephan. As with many of the Norman barons, the Marmions retained their Norman title of Viscount of Fontenay-le-Marmion and Norman lands as well as having the new English lands and English titles, until King John of England lost Normandy to the French in the early 13th century. From that time the Norman barons who still held lands in Normandy as did the Marmions were forced to eventually relinquish them to the French king. Roger who died 1131 divided his lordships as follows, between his two sons Robert and Roger:
Robert, c. 1090–1143(4), Baron of Tamworth and Llanstephan — Roger, c.1092–1160, = Millicent of Rethel whose father Gervais was a brother Baron of Scrivelsby, of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem. Robert was controversial whose son Geoffrey and died in battle with the Earl of Chester exchanged in 1166 the lordship of Llanstephan with his 1st cousin Robert Baron of Tamworth_____________|_________________________________________________
Robert, c.1120–1181, Richard, c.1121–1190, Baron of Tamworth & Llanstephan of Gloucester whose younger to 1166 and Baron of Tamworth & son Robert C.1150–1225 went Scrivelsby from 1166 into Ireland with Strongbow. = an Elizabeth of Rethel Richard's older son was a Geoffrey._____________|__________________________________________________________________________________
Mabel c. 1163–1210 Robert Marmion, c.1160–1218 William c.1158–1210 =Hugh de Say = (1)Maud de Beauchamp = (2)Phillippe | | Robert-the-Elder, c.1182–1243 Robert-the-Younger, c.1190–1242 =Juliane de Vassy =Avice de Tanfield | | | | Philip, c.1215–92 William, c.1223–bef.1276 (called 'the Perfect Knight) =(1)Joan de Kilpeck =(2)Mary Cantilupe =Lorette de Dover, granddaughter of King John | | | | | of England | | | | | Mazera, c.1245–70 Maud JoAnne(1) JoAnn(2) John, c. 1255–bef.1322, created Baron Marmion =Ralph deCromwell =Ralph =William =Sir Thomas = Isabel of Winteringham about 1262 Butler, deMortain, deLudlow | dsp dsp | | also: an illegitimate son,Sir daughter into John, Lord Marmion, c.1292-30 Apr 1335 Robert,living 1324,a famous Dymoke family =Maud de Furnival knight, of Warwickshire = with title of | Elizabeth Fitzralph Champion of |______________________________________________ | England | | | Amica Avice, c.1310. Joan, c.1318–1362 Robert,dsp 1360 = John de Whitacre =John de Grey =John Bernake Lord Marmion