Hi Norm...
The families of Such, alias Zouch, alias Souch and several other variations
of the name, according to the dialect of the particular part of England
where they settled and also because of the fact that English spelling was
not standardised until the end of the 17th century, are all descended from
Geoffrey Viscount of Parrhoet, second son of Alain Viscount of Rohan in
little Bretagne, France, by his wife Constantia IConstance) daughter of
Conan le Groffe, Earl of Bretagne and Maud, his wife, the natural daughter
of Henry I.
Geoffrey came over to England in the reign of Henry I and founded another
family. He assumed the name of Geoffrey de la Zouche. The French 'Souche'
means stock (0f a tree), roots, beginning, one implies that he was of
another stock (family).
His second son, Alan de Parrhoet or de la Zusche, establishing himself in
England under Henry II (1154-1189). He married Adeliza ( or Alice) de
Belmeis, whose inheritance included many Manors, including Tong Castle,
Salop; Ashby ( afterwards Ashby De La Zouche), Leicestershire; North Molton,
Devon and other estates at Swavsey, Cambridgeshire and elsewhere.
Their sons William and Roger succeeded to these estates in turn and they,
acquired more lands in England; that is why, besides the Noble Family, the
lesser members, including younger sons, spread to many other parts of the
country.
According to Historians it is Eudes la Zouche, grandson of Roger and second
son of Sir Alain la Zouche, who is the ancestor of all the Zouch's, Suchs
etc., including the Baron Zouche's of Haryngworth. The first Baron Zouche,
Lord of Haryngworth, Northants was Eudes son, William le Zouche (1276-1352)
whilst his cousin was Alain, Baron Zouche, Lord of Ashby (later Ashby de la
Zouche) (1267-1314) who, when he died, left three daughters.
The Zouche received vast estates through forfeiture and by marriage
contracts, so that by the 16th Century, particularly the Tudor period
onwards, substantial family settlements are found in various parts of the
country up to the present day. The largest number are in the West Midlands
embracing Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Northhampton,
filtering down into Oxfordshire and Somerset, (Avon); considerable numbers
in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Devon and of course London, Surrey;, and to a
lesser degree Yorkshire and the Home Counties.
I hope the above answers your query.
Keep Smiling
Jill Van Der Reyden
List Owner
Castle La Zouche Web Site
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/River/1415