ANSCOUL DE PICQUIGNI.

Picquigny in Picardy is near Amiens where a castle dating from the 8th century was the head of a barony from which this family, descending in the female line from Charlemagne, took its name. It was one of the greatest houses in that part of France, and some centuries later was elevated to a duchy for the Chaulnes. Anscoul, his brother Giles, and his son William de Picquigni, followed duke William to the conquest. Anscoul became sheriff of Surrey and died before 1086, but his son William Fitz Anscoul held l00 manors in different counties, including eleven baronies. William is variously reported to have died without issue, or to have had a daughter Beatrice, who married Fulk Painel. Giles is entered in Domesday as "Gilo frater Ansculfi," holding in capite in four counties. His barony of Wedon in Northamptonshire was called Wedon-Pinkney and consisted of fourteen and a half knights' fees. He founded there a cell to the monastery of St-Lucien, France.

--(This name appears on the Falaise Roll).