Show ContentsCurrington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Currington surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived at Carenton, a port town, and Chateau in Normandy. [1] It is thought that the first of the name in Britain was Norman Hamo de Carenton of Normandy, who came to Britain as a young attendant to his uncle at Hastings in 1066 A.D., and was rewarded for his services by grants of land in county of Chester.

Carrington, or Primrose is a parish in Edinburghshire, Scotland containing with the villages of Thornton and Whitefaugh and Carrington. [2]

Early Origins of the Currington family

The surname Currington was first found in Cheshire at Carrington, a township and chapelry, in the parish of Bowdon, union of Altrincham, hundred of Bucklow. "The manor was held for more than three centuries by a family of the same name." [3]

"A moiety of the manor [at Ashton upon Mersey] was held for many generations by the Carringtons, and passed by a female heir of that family to the Booths." [3]

There are two other places named Carrington in Britain: in Lincolnshire which was "first recorded in 1812, and named after Robert Smith, Lord Carrington (1752-1838), who had lands there"; [4] and in Nottinghamshire where "this village, which is of recent origin, consists partly of handsome villas, occupied by merchants and lace manufacturers, who have warehouses in Nottingham." [3]

Now part of Greater Manchester, Carrington dates back to the 12th century when it was first listed as Carrintona and possibly meant "estate associated with a man called Cara," from the Old English personal name + "-ing" + "tun." [4]

Some of the first record of the family include: Thomas de Karington who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1219; and John de Carrington found in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1294. [5]

In Scotland, the name came from the "lands of Carrington in East Lothian. Wautier de Keringtone, parson of the church of Dunnotre, rendered homage in 1296 [to King Edward I of England]." [6]

Early History of the Currington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Currington research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1219, 1294, 1296, 1796 and 1868 are included under the topic Early Currington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Currington Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Currington include Carrington, Carington, Kerrington, Karrington, Kerington, Carinton and many more.

Early Notables of the Currington family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Currington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Currington migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Currington Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mary Currington, aged 19, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 [7]


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. 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)


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