Contents [hide]

Bunten History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Bunten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The are many presumed origins for the name Bunten. We will attempt to list a few of them here. The name may be "derived from a nickname, 'good little pet,' a term of endearment for a little child, afterwards applied more generally, a term of endearment" 1

"The name is curiously interesting as surviving in one of our favourite nursery rhymes, a strong proof of its antiquity: 'Baby, baby Bunting, Daddy's gone a hunting, Gone to get a rabbit skin To wrap his baby Bunting in.'" 2

Another source claims the name to be "Anglo-French-Latin, a corruption form of the French Bonnetin, Bonneton." 3 Another source claims the name was "a kind of bird." 4 Another claims the name to be "from the Flemish, Buntinx." 5

Early Origins of the Bunten family

The surname Bunten was first found in Peeblesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd nam Pùballan), former county in South-central Scotland.

The earliest record of the family in England was Wluric Buntin who was listed in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk in 1188. Later William Buntin was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1260 and Henry Buntyng was listed in 1332. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 elude to the widespread use with a wide variety of spellings: Alice Bunetun, Oxfordshire; Thomas Bunetun, Oxfordshire; Hugh Bonting, Lincolnshire; Henry Buntyng, Suffolk; and John Buntyng, Sussex. 2

"The name of Bunting, which now has its home in the Ashbourn district [of Derbyshire and] is also established in Norfolk and Essex. In the 13th century this name occurred, usually as Bunting or Buntyng but sometimes as Buntig or Buntyg, in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, and Sussex (H. R.). It still remains in Norfolk, and occurs also in Essex." 7

"Bunting or Buntyng was a common name among the Norfolk clergy in the 15th century; at that time, also, a family of the name lived at Framingham, near Norwich (Bl.). In the 13th century it was still represented in Norfolk. The Bantings, according to Kemble, were an Anglo-Saxon Clan. " 7

Later, Ireland became home to many of the family, but that migration is discussed in more detail later.

Early History of the Bunten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bunten research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1489, 1605, 1650, 1664, 1672, 1773, 1843 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bunten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bunten Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Bunten has been spelled Buntin, Bunten, Bunton, Bunting, Buntain, Buntaine, Buntine, Bontine, Buntyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Bunten family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Sir James Bunten

Migration of the Bunten family to Ireland

Some of the Bunten family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 206 words (15 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bunten migration to the United States +

For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Bunten Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Bunten, aged 77, who arrived in Maine in 1812 8
Mary Bunten, aged 2, who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Mercater" in 1844 9
Mary Bunten, aged 25, who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Mercater" in 1844 9
James Bunten, aged 32, who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Sarah" in 1848 9
Joh Bunten, aged 26, from Hannover who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Republik" in 1865 9

Bunten migration to Australia +

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

Bunten Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Richard Bunten, (b. 1812), aged 29, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 27th December 1841 10
Mrs. Anne Bunten, (b. 1808), aged 33, Cornish house keeper travelling aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 27th December 1841 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Bunten (post 1700) +

Danielle Bunten Berry (1949-1998), formerly known as Dan Bunten, an American game designer and programmer, known for the 1983 game M.U.L.E
William Wallace "Bill" Bunten (1930-2020), American politician, Mayor of Topeka (2005-2013), Member of the Kansas House of Representatives (1962-1990)
James Clark Bunten (1838-1901), Scottish engineer, born in Glasgow who went on to be a partner in the Anderston Foundry and chairman of the Caledonian Railway
James Clark Bunten (1875-1935), Scottish gold medalist sailor who competed for the Royal Clyde Yacht Club at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Citations +

Halliwell, James Orchard. A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial WordsLondon: John Russel Smith, Old Compton Street, Soho, 1848, Digital, 2 Vols
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 9th February 2023. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf