Medieval line before Tristram's move to USA

"The Coffin Family may be traced back to William called the Conqueror, who was King of England. In his army he had a General by the name of Coffin. After the conquest he gave an estate to General Coffin, which was entailed and at this; time it is held by a descendant by the name of Coffin, in the town of Rrixam (Brixham) in the county of Devonshire, England." (From a latter record)

1066, Sir Richard Coffin: Our First Recorded Ancestor. Like all the Nobility of Normandy he would have been of Scandinavian decent. The Vikings were settling in Normandy around the 800’s AD through conquest, they were given the “Duchy of Normandy” by the French King “Charles the Simple” as a defense against other Viking Armies. The First “Duke of Normandy” was Hrolf or Rollo 911AD (an ancestor of “William the Conqueror”).
Sir Richard fought as a General for “William the Conqueror” (formally “William the Bastard”) at the Battle of Hastings, during the Norman invasion of England and Williams successful claim for the English Crown.

"Sir Richards Estate in Normandy was called Courtition, near Falaise which is 20 Miles south of Caen a Large City near the coast. About Half way between La Havre and Cherbourg (this estate stayed in French Coffin hands until 1796, "the present owner, Mons. Le Clerc, being the grandson of the last of that line of Coffins, she having in 1796 married a Le Clerc. The Normandy home and the ancient Portledge manor house ( which in part has existed for centuries ) must ever be object of great interest to the American Branch".

His land “Gifted” in England for his valuable service to the new King was the Estate of the Manor of Alwington a few miles from Bideford, Devonshire southwestern England.
Coffins are also in the Williams “Doomsday book” (1080) as current inhabitants of England, probably settlers from France at an earlier date. The Coffins spread out to Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Cornwall. By 1252 the name in its different forms (Colvin, Corvin, Cophen and Coffyn) are frequently found in records. The name is disputed in its origins. Welsh “Coffyn” meaning hill top boundary, English and French: metonymic occupational name for a basket maker, from Old French cof(f)in ‘basket’ (Late Latin cophinus, Greek kophinos). The modern English word coffin is a specialized development of this term, not attested until the 16th century.
 and the most likely to me is the meaning of “Coffer” or treasure box.


Some of the Recorded Coffins.
1154-1189 Sir Richard Coffin under the Reign of King Henry II
1199-1216 Sir Elias Coffin during King Johns Reign
1216-1272 Sir Jeffrey Coffin and Combe Coffin – King Henry III
1307-1327 Sir Richard Coffin – King Edward II
1399-1413 Sir Richard Coffin – King Henry IV
1509-1547     Sir William Coffin – King Henry VIII, “Sheriff of Devonshire”, “Master of the Horse” For the Queens Coronation. One of 18 men who accompanied the King to a Tournament in France. When he died his estate was large and he even left his prize Hawks and Horses to the King. He left land to his two nephews one was Sir Richard of Portledge who received the Manor of East Higgington, Devonshire.

Direct Line
The medieval part is disputed through to Tristram of Nantucket’s own Family.

Generation One
circa 1280, Richard Coffyn was born  at Alwington, Devonshire, England.

Generation Two
circa 1301, John Coffyn was born  at Alwington, Devonshire, England.

Generation Three
 circa 1332, David Coffyn was born  at Alwington, Devonshire, England. He married Thomasin (  ?  ) circa 1361. He died after 1370.

Generation Four
circa 1361, David Coffyn was born  at Alwington, Devonshire, England.

Generation Five
circa 1392, John Coffyn was born  at Alwington, Devonshire, England. He married Thomasin Hartley in 1406 at Alwington, Devonshire, England. He died in 1427.

Generation Six
circa 1420, William Coffyn was born  at Alwington, Devonshire, England. He married Margaret Cockworthy Giffard circa 1453 at Alwington, Devonshire, England. He died on 11 Sep 1486.

Generation Seven
circa 1425, Richard Coffyn was born  at Portledge, Devonshire, England. He married Alice Gambon, daughter of John Gambon, in 1462 at Merston, Shropshire, England.
Children of Richard7 Coffyn and Alice Gambon were:

Generation Eight
1450, John Coffyn was born   at Portledge, Devonshire, England. He married Phillippa Elizabeth Hingston, daughter of Philip Hingston, in 1496. He died on 15 Dec 1566 at Devonshire, England.

Generation Nine
circa 1475 Richard Coffyn was born  at Portledge Manor, Brixton, Devon, England. He married Wilmont Chudleigh, daughter of Sir Richard Chudleigh (1468-1535)son of Sir Knight William Chudleigh (1445-1515) and Joan Hody (1446) and her mother Maria Wadham (1470-1535) daughter of Sir Nicholas Wadham (1444) and Jan Hill (1452), in 1510 at Merifield, Cornwall, England. He died on 24 Dec 1555 at Alwington, Devon, England.

Generation Ten
1514, James Coffyn was born at Portledge Manor, Brixton, Devon, England. He married Mary Cole (1513) in 1534. He died on 15 Dec 1566.

Generation Eleven
1535, Peter Coffin was born  at Portledge Manor, Brixton, Devon, England. He married Mary Boscawen, daughter of Hugh Boscawen and Phillippa Carminowe, in 1560. He died on 8 Oct 1613 at Portledge Manor, Brixton, Devon, England.
Children of Peter11 Coffin and Mary Boscawen were as follows:
1560 Nicholas, born  at Chateau Courtiton, Fallaise; married Joan Advant. (see bellow)
1563-1602 Tristram Coffin
Lionel
Philip;

Generation Twelve
1560-1613, Nicholas Coffin - Brixton, Devonshire England The name in early times was written Coffyn was born in 1560 at Chateau Courtiton, Fallaise.
He married Joan Advant (1550)daughter of John Advant (1522-1554) son of John Advent Dudley (1490) and Jane Guildford (1504-1555), her mother Anne Seymour (1529-1588) daughter of Sir Edward Seymour (1506-1552) 1st Duke of Summerset and the Earl of Herford and Anne Stanhute (1497-1536)in 1580 at Butlers, Brixton, Devon, England. He died in 1613 at Brixton, Devonshire, England.

Children of Nicholas Coffin and Joan Advant were as follows:
(1582-1610) John
(1582-1627) Nicholas.
(1584)Tristram
(1584)Peter, born at Brixton, Devon, England; married Joan Kember (Thember)(1578-1661). (see bellow)
(1585-1627) John
(1588) Ann; married Thomas Wynston,
(1590) Joan

Generation Thirteen
Dec 1 1627, Peter Coffin - Brixton England, will proved Mar 13 1628, To Joan, land during her life, and at her decease to go to his son and heir Tristam, 'who is to be provided for according to his degree and calling'. To son John certain property when 20 years of age. mentions daughters, Joan, Deborah, Eunice, Mary. He refers to tenement in Butlers parish called Silverhay. *May 1661- His widow Joan died in Boston Mass. The Rev. Mr. Wilson who preached the funeral sermon spoke of her as a woman of remarkable character. One Hundred Sixty Allied Families by John 0. Austin ** was born in 1584 at Brixton, Devon, England. He married Joan Kember, daughter of Robert Kember and Anne (  ?  ), in 1604 at Brixton, Devon, England. He died in 1628.

Children of Peter Coffin and Joan Kember were as follows:
(1605-1688) Christian; married Thomas Davis.
(1609-1681)Tristam, born at Plymouth, Devonshire, England; married Dionis Stevens. (see bellow)
(1611-1681) Joan; married Joseph Hull; born at Brixton, Devonshire England.
(1613)Peter.
(1616) Deborah; born at Brixton, Devonshire, England; married William Stevens, son of Robert Stevens and Dionis (  ?  ), 25 Jun 1640 at England.
(1617-1648) Eunice; born at Brixton, Devonshire, England; married William Butler after 1642.
(1619) Mary, born at Brixton, Devonshire, England; married Alexander Adams.
(1625)John; born at England; died 1642 at Plymouth Fort.