General Notes

The oldest names which arose from one's geographic origin...like Stapleton, there was an English village called Stapleton. A "staple" was originally a boulder or large rock, later on it was a post (as you pointed out). These were important because they were readily identifiable landmarks where farmers, bakers, hunters and tradesmen of various kinds came to gather and trade their wares. These meetings at the early "Staples" were essentially for commerce in necessary goods; hence, the word "staples" is used as a collective term, usually for foodstuffs that fulfill basic needs (sugar, wheat, coffee, bread, milk, etc.). So, the Stapletons were, in effect, primitive markets in England, and when a merchant named James was identified, it was usually with his name and place of origin."James Stapleton."

Early Stapletons in England were often in law enforcement and soldiering. Robert de Stapleton was Sheriff of Waterford in the year 1287, another Stapleton was the Sheriff of Nottingham (and well beloved, unlikely the Sheriff in the Robin Hood tales), and an early Stapleton, Sir Brian Stapleton, was a knight for King Richard the Lion Hearted during the Crusades.

King Richard and Sir Brian were both Normans (from northern France), and indeed, it is reputed that King Richard spent less than two years total of his life in England. At any rate, King Richard brought Sir Brian Stapleton as his personal bodyguard to the battles. During one fierce battle, the Kings of England, Scotland and France had massed with their armies at the edge of the battlefield. As the armies went into battle, a Saracen (the Muslim opponent during the Crusades) broke through the lines and charged up on his horse, sword held high. Sir Brian leaped out in front of King Richard, drawing his sword and neatly beheaded the Saracen.

The next day, the English painted the face of the beheaded Saracen onto Sir Brian's shield. Hence, the crest of the Stapleton family is one of just two in England which has the face/head of a human being on it.

Upon return to England, Sir Brian added his weight to the pressure on Prince John to sign the Magna Carta. The motto of the family, as it states in Burke's book of Peerage is "Pro Magna Carta." Incidentally, the English claim that they were the world's first true democracy and point to the Magna Charta ("Great Charter") as evidence of their democracy. When the English describe it, they refer to it as the first document that limited the divine right of kings, but it is much more..actually, it's a pretty horrific document. Jim Stapleton recommends that we should try to get time to read it.

Incidentally, the last Baronet Stapleton died a few years back. The Stapletons suffered through various harsh economic times, and they ended up splitting their crest into four quadrants. This is outlined in Burke's Book of Baronetage and Peerage.

Source:
The Stapleton Homepage
http://www.users.bigpond.com/lyndar/stap.htm