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Barnum History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Barnum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Barnum date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Barnum family lived in the parish named Barnham in Hampshire. Further research showed the name was derived from the Old English words beorg, meaning hill, and ham, meaning homestead.

Early Origins of the Barnum family

The surname Barnum was first found in Hampshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Southwick, some say, from the time of the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Barnum family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnum research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1559, 1570, 1575, 1576, 1592, 1598, 1600, 1604, 1606, 1613, 1630, 1646, 1650, 1659, 1660, 1675 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Barnum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barnum Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Barnum are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Barnum include: Barnham, Barnhum, Barnum, Barnam, Barnhem, Barnem and others.

Early Notables of the Barnum family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Martin Barnham of Kent; Francis Barnham (died 1575), English draper, alderman and Sheriff of London in 1570; and his son, Benedict Barnham (1559-1598), London merchant, alderman and Sheriff of London; Sir Francis Barnham (1576-1646), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1604 and 1646, supporter...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barnum Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barnum Ranking

In the United States, the name Barnum is the 5,424^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Barnum migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Barnum or a variant listed above:

Barnum Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Barnum, who arrived in Fairfield, Connecticut in 1663 2

Barnum Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Roger Barnum, who landed in Virginia in 1703 2

Barnum Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

A J Barnum, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
E M Barnum, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
J Barnum, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
Fred William Barnum, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1855 2
E W Barnum, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1860 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Barnum Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Edward Barnum, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
C. C. Barnum, who landed in America, in 1903
David Barnum, aged 54, who landed in America, in 1904
Frank Barnum, aged 48, who settled in America, in 1905
G. C. Barnum, who landed in America, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Barnum migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Barnum Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Nathaniel Barnum U.E. who settled in Home District, [Niagara], Lincoln County, Ontario c. 1783 3
Ensign Nathan Bunnell Barnum, "Barnham" U.E. (b. 1739) born in New Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA from Long Island, New York, USA who settled in Nova Scotia in 1783 before moving to New Brunswick in 1785, then Kentish Town, England in 1788, then back to Long Point Bay, Upper Canada, Ontario in 1793 enlisted in 1776 he served in Major General Phineas Lymans and Colonel George Wightmans regiments he was also in the 3rd Battalion of Brigadier General Oliver DeLancey's Brigade, Colonel Ludlow's Regiment, he died in 1795 3

Barnum migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Barnum Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Barnum, (b. 1815), aged 25, Canadian ploughman who was convicted in Kingston, Ontario, Canada for life for unlawful invasion, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 28th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), captured at the battle of Windmill in 1838 4

Barnum migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Barnum Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Charles Barnum, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Canute" in 1867

Contemporary Notables of the name Barnum (post 1700) +

Frances Courtenay Baylor Barnum (1848-1920), American author of fiction from Fort Smith, Arkansas
Henry Alanson Barnum (1883-1892), United States Civil War general from New York, recipient of the Medal of Honor
Hidle Brown "H. B." Barnum (b. 1936), American pianist, arranger, record producer, songwriter, and former child actor
Phineas Taylor "P. T." Barnum (1810-1891), American showman, founder of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
David Barnum, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from New Fairfield, 1829 5
David Barnum, American politician, Postmaster at Columbia, Pennsylvania, 1807 5
Clarence J. Barnum, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Kentucky State House of Representatives 40th District, 1950-57 5
Charles W. Barnum (b. 1853), American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State Senate 31st District, 1907-12; Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1916 5
Charles R. Barnum, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1948, 1952; Presidential Elector for California, 1952 5
Caleb Barnum, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Seneca County, 1835 5
... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/buffalo
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html