Contents [hide]

Eames History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Eames History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the name Eames was recognized on the island as a name for a good friend or beloved one. The name was originally derived from the Old French given name or nickname Amis or Ami, which means friend. Alternatively the name could have been derived from the "descendant of Amos (burden-bearer.)" 1

Early Origins of the Eames family

The surname Eames was first found in the county of Northumberland, where they were granted lands by King William after the Norman Conquest in 1066. They originated from Exmes, a town in the department of Orne, in Normandy. 2

"Amos, like Amias or Amyas, represents popular forms of the Norman-French Aimee, or Amys. " 3 Kirby's Quest had the first listing for the family: Thomas Amys, Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 4

Another sources notes: "the present family of Amos, established in the Faversham district, [in Kent] probably can claim an ancestor in Thomas Amos, a well - to - do yeoman of Ospringe, who in 1769 bequeathed £100 for the poor of Molash." 5

Early History of the Eames family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eames research. Another 178 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1576, 1619, 1633, 1640, 1641, 1689, 1692, 1693, 1695, 1721, 1759, 1864 and 1889 are included under the topic Early Eames History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eames Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Ames, Amess, Amies, Amis, Amiss, Amos, Hames, Haymes, Eames, Emmes and many more.

Early Notables of the Eames family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Rebecca Blake Eames (1641-1721), from Gloucester, Massachusetts, was among those accused of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials of 1692; she was convicted and set for execution, but was later rel...

Eames Ranking

In the United States, the name Eames is the 8,746^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Eames migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Eames or a variant listed above:

Eames Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Anthony Eames, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1633 aboard the ship "Recovery" 7
Anthony Eames, who arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1634 8
Thomas Eames, who arrived in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1634 8

Eames Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Robert Eames, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1777 8

Eames Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

W J Eames, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 8
A D Eames, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 8

Eames migration to Australia +

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

Eames Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Eames, English convict who was convicted in Sussex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Charles Harvey Eames, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Buckinghamshire" in 1839 10
Richard Joseph Eames, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "D'Auvergne" in 1839 11
Elizabeth Margaret Eames, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "D'Auvergne" in 1839 11
William Eames, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Fairlee" in 1840 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Eames 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:

Eames Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Robert Eames, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Bombay 13
Robert Eames, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1842 13
Elizabeth Eames, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1842 13
Charles Eames, aged 32, a farm labourer, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Dallam Tower" in 1875
William Eames, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "British King" in 1883

Contemporary Notables of the name Eames (post 1700) +

Francis L. Eames (1844-1912), American President New York Stock Exchange (1894-1898)
Clare Eames (1894-1930), American Broadway actress, stage director and the wife of playwright Sidney Howard, niece of Emma Eames
Rebecca Eames (1640-1721), Massachusetts woman accused of being a witch at the Salem witch trials
Fred Eames, American billiards champion c. 1910
Emma Eames (1865-1952), American opera soprano
Ray Eames (1912-1988), American designer who with her husband Charles designed homes, furniture and created short films
Charles Eames (1907-1978), American designer who with his wife Ray designed homes, furniture and created short films
Benjamin T. Eames (1818-1901), American politician, U.S. Representative from Rhode Island
Charles M. Eames, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1880 14
Charles Eames (1812-1867), American politician, U.S. Minister to Venezuela, 1854 14
... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Eames Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fama candida rosa dulcior
Motto Translation: Fame is sweeter than the white rose.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Buckinghamshire.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) D'AUVERGNE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839D'Auvergne.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FAIRLIE/FAIRLEE 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Fairlie.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html