Melo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Melo family

The surname Melo was first found in Ile-de-France, at Mellun, a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department. One of the first records of the name was Robert of Melun (c. 1100-1167), an English-born, scholastic Christian theologian who taught in Mellun, France. Little is known of him other than he studied under Peter Abelard and Hugh of St. Victor at the University of Paris and by 1137, he was a teacher in the school on Mont Ste-Genevieve. He was later involved in the Council of Reims in 1148. After teaching in Paris for 40 years, he was recalled to England by King Henry II in 1160, and was appointed Bishop of Hereford in 1163.

“Savaric de Malleon was Constable of Porchester Castle in 1216, and Seneschal of Poitou and Gascony in 1222. He held Petersfield and MapleDurham (part of the Honour of Gloucester) by grant of King John. It was this Savaric who in 1216 was left by the King in charge of the city and castle of Winchester, just after Pentecost, the holy time chosen by the Bishop of Winchester, who wits with the King, for excommunicating Lewis and all his favourers. Upon the departure of the King, Savaric set fire to the suburbs of Winchester. Then followed the siege of the castle, which at last by the counsel of Savaric was given up to Lewis upon which followed the surrender of all the Hampshire castles. In 1229, after the death of Waleran Teutonicus, he became Warden of the Isle of Wight. was, says Worsley, ” a Poictevin, and had been very serviceable to the King during the war with France ; but afterwards, on some discontent, changing sides, became extremely troublesome.” 1