The Conn Family of York and Knaresborough

Research by David Conn

The geography of the area.

York is situated in the Vale of York, commanding the approaches to the north of England and Scotland. To the west are the Pennine Hills and the Yorkshire Dales and to the east are the Yorkshie Wolds and the North Yorks Moors. These last two hilly regions are separated by the Vale of Pickering, which runs from York to the coast at Scarborough. Called Eboracum by the Romans, it was the main Roman outpost in the north of England. Captured by the Danes in 864 it was called Yorvic and when the Normans conquered England in 1066 it's name became York.

Politically York was the second most important city in England until about 1500, when the great ports of Bristol, Liverpool and Newcastle and the manufacturing towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire such as Manchester and Leeds began to expand. It was the capital of Northumbria, ie. that part of England north of the Humber, and because of its size and importance had 26 parishes within it's boundaries. Some of the parish registers appear on the IGI, and a few more have been published, but the bulk of them have not been researched for evidence of the Conn family.

Parishes in York

The parishes with dates attached have been researched.

All Saints - North St---------(IGI) All Saints - Pavement--------1554 - 1738 Holy Trinity - Goodramgate--1573 - 1837 Holy Trinity - Kings Court----1631 - 1837 Holy Trinity - Micklegate St Crux ----------------------1678 - 1837 St Cuthbert St Denys St Edward - Dringhouses St George St Helen - Stonegate St John - Ousebridge St Lawrence----------------1606 - 1812 St Margaret - Walmgate St Martin - Coney St--------1557 - 1837 St Martin cum Gregory St Mary Bishophill Junior----1602 - 1837 St Mary Bishophill Senior St Mary Castlegate----------1604 - 1837 St Maurice-------------------(IGI) St Michael le Belfry----------1565 - 1772 (IGI) St Michael Spurriergate St Olave---------------------1538 - 1785 St Sampson St Savior St Giles Copmanthorpe------1759 - 1837

Records from the parish registers of York

1550 Marriage of Agnes Conn to Robert Browne. St Martin cum Gregory.

• 1614 Jul 4. Marriage of Johes Conn to Elizabetha Cannon. All Saints, Pavement.
• 1695 Nov 28. Marriage of George Con to Mary Lam. St Martin, Coney St.
• 1741 Nov 10. Marriage of Mark Conn of St Michael le Belfry, to Elizabeth Collinson. St Martin, Coney St.
• 1706 Jan 6.Baptism of John, son of George Conn, tyler. St Michael le Belfry.
• 1707 Sep 20. Baptism of John, son of George Conn. St Michael le Belfry.
• 1710 Jan 29. Baptism of Anne, daughter of George Conn. St Michael le Belfry.
• 1712 Sep 3. Baptism of Hannah, daughter of George Conn. St Michael le Belfry.
• 1720 Oct 1. Baptism of Elizabeth, daughter of George Conn, St Michael le Belfry.
• 1715 Feb 27. Burial of Ann, daughter of George Conn of Petergate. St Olave
• 1715 May 27. Burial of Hannah, daughter of George Conn of Petergate. St Olave.
• 1715 Jul 13. Burial of George, son of George Conn of Petergate. St Olave.
• 1717Jun 27. Burial of Anne daughter of George Conn of Petergate. St Olave.
• 1720 Mar 6. Burial of George Conn, bricklayer of Petergate. St Olave.
• 1733 May 15. Marriage of Peter Conn and Jain Thompson. All Saints, North St.
• 1857 Mar 1. Baptism of Thomas William, son of Thomas and Anne Conn, St Maurice.

The following William Conn was born in Penshaw, Durham, in Aug 1829 (see The Conn families of Sedgefield). He was an engineer (probably on the railway) and moved to York in about 1850

William Conn married Elizabeth Woodburn in York in June 1852.

Their children were:-

1. 1854 Jun 12. Baptism of James William, son of William and Elizabeth Conn. St Mary Bishophill.
2. 1855 Jan 28. Baptism of Elizabeth Hester, daughter of William and Elizabeth Conn. St Mary Bishophill.
3. 1856 Oct 26. Baptism of Mary Ann, daughter of William and Elizabeth Conn. St Mary Bishophill.
4. 1859 Jan 2. Baptism of John Arthur, son of William and Elizabeth Conn. St Mary Bishophill.
5. 1861 Minnie
6. 1864 Robert
7. 1866 Thomas
8. 25 Mar 1870 George Woodburn
9. 1872 Charles
10. 1875 Frederick Ernest

George Woodburn Conn married Ruth Appleby.

They had 5 children:-

1. 15 May 1893 Charles Edwin. Migrated to New Zealand about 1910.
2. 23 Aug 1894 Minnie
3. 19 Sep 1896 Muriel
4. 2 Dec 1904 Olive
5. 3 Apr 1910 Marjorie

There is also a group of parishes surrounding York that have not been looked at, but may provide links between the early York families and the Pickering families.

• 1655 Marriage of William Conn to Jane Moore ( or Moone) at Acklam.
• 1704 Jul 23. Marriage of George Conn to Anne Hauton at Askham Richard.

Other sources of information, including the Catherdral Library, have provided the following records. Whilst they do not show any family links, they do indicate that the Conn name was in use across the York - Pickering area from a very early date.

• 1301: Alicia Conne of Pickering paid 5 pence towards the Lay Subsidy.
• 1342 Jun 19:William Conne was paying 20 pence rent on land in Edeston (near Pickering). Yorkshire Deeds, vol 5, pp. 80
• 1420, John Con, chaplain, mentioned in the records of the Mercers Guild, York
• 1432: Will of John Conn of Thornton in the parish of Foston (between Pickering and York).
• 1454 Oct 18: Peter Con given power of attorney to the will of John Gower of Picton (near Yarm). Yorkshire Deeds pp.382.
• 1471: Dom Johannes Cone, Corpus Cristi, York. Religeous Guild, 1408-1547.
• 1479: Dom Johannes Con, Corpus Cristi, York.
• 1479: Petrus Con, Corpus Cristi, York.
• 1491: Petrus Con, Corpus Cristi, York.
• 1516: Willhelmus Con, mentioned in "Freemen of York, 1272-1558".
• 1545: Will of Roger Con, husbandman of Grauncemore in the parish of Burton Agnes.
• 1550: Will of Robert Conne of Hedon (near Hull).

Records from the parish of Knaresborough.

These records have been included with the York returns because of the proximity of the two cities, - about 15 miles separate them. They will be re-allocated to their correct family if and when that has been determined. Where this family originated from is unknown, and although most died in Knaresborough, the subsequent movements of the remnants of the family is also unknown.

• 1727 Apr 4. Bap. Robert s of John Conn.
• 1728 Dec 7. Bap. Eleanor d of John Conn
• 1730 May 17. Bur. Ellen d of John Conn.
• 1731 Sep 18. Bap. John s of John Conn.
• 1736 Nov 26. Bap. Elizabeth d of John Conn.
• 1738 May 28. Bur. Elizabeth d of john Conn.
• 1739 Apr 23. Bap. Elizabeth d of John Conn.
• 1741 Sep 27. Bur. Mary d of John Conn.
• 1742 May 19. Bur. John s of John Conn. [There is some doubt about this surname]
• 1742 May 19. Bap. John s of John Conn.
• 1742 Aug 6. Bur. John s of John Conn.
• 1742 Aug 15. Bur. Mary d of John Conn.
• 1743 Sep 4. Bap. Jane d of Thomas and Elizabeth Conn.
• 1746 Jun 20. Bap. Dorothy d of John and Elizabeth Conn
• 1760 Jan 20. Bap. Ann d of Robert and Elizabeth Conn.
• 1762 Apr 29. Mar. Jane Conn and Jonathan Newton.
• 1762 Jun 11. Bur. Elizabeth Conn
• 1762 Jul 18. Bap. Robert s of Robert and Elizabeth Conn.
• 1768 Jun 17 Bap. William s of Robert Conn.
• 1768 Oct 21. Bur. John Conn.
• 1775 Nov 3. Bur. Sarah Conn.
• 1827 Jan 24. Bur. Ann Cown, aged 71 of Knaresborough.