Contents [hide]

Edmunds History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Edmunds History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Edmunds is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of the Britain and comes from the given name Edmond. 1 2

Saint Edmund or Eadmund (841-870), was King of the East Angles, martyr, and saint and was born in Saxony in the city of Nüremberg in 841, being the son of King Alkmund and Queen Scivare. "Eadmund began his reign on 25 Dec. 855, and was crowned and anointed king of East Anglia by Humbert, bishop of Hulme, the following Christmas day, being then fifteen years old." 3

Edmund or Eadmund (922?-946), king of the English, was son of Eadward the Elder and Edmund called Ironside (981?-1016), was king, the third son, probably, of Æthelred the Unready. Saint Edmund (1170?-1240), was Archbishop of Canterbury, born on St. Edmund's day (20 Nov.), probably between 1170 and 1175. 3

Early Origins of the Edmunds family

The surname Edmunds was first found in Oxfordshire, where the first on record of the family was Edmund of Woodstock, Earl of Kent (1301-1330), youngest son of Edward I, by his second wife, Margaret of France. Born at Woodstock, he received from his father a revenue of seven thousand marks a year. It is thought that Edward I was to confer the rich earldom of Cornwall either on Edmund or on his elder brother Thomas of Brotherton; but the accession of Edward II negated that possibility. Edward II made Edmund Lord of the Castle and Honour of Knaresborough in 1319 and the next year granted him lands of the value of two thousand marks a year. 3

Many of the early records were in Latin as per the following: Simon dl. Edmundi, Norfolk; and Thomas filius Edmundi, Kent, both listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 4

The Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. included the forename Edmund filius Osmund, Berkshire, Henry III-Edward I 5 and later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Johannes Edmund; and Edmundua del Grange. 4

Early History of the Edmunds family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Edmunds research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1544, 1563, 1564, 1582, 1622 and 1639 are included under the topic Early Edmunds History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Edmunds Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Edmunds has been spelled many different ways, including Edmond, Edmonde, Edmon, Edmonds, Edmun, Edmund, Edmunds and many more.

Early Notables of the Edmunds family

Distinguished members of the family include

John Edmunds (died 1544), English Master of Peterhouse. 3

Edmunds Ranking

In the United States, the name Edmunds is the 5,005^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6

Edmunds migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Edmundss to arrive in North America:

Edmunds Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Edmunds, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Mary Gold" 7
Mrs. Mary Edmunds, who sailed from Isle of Wight arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet. 8
John Edmunds, who sailed from Isle of Wight arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet. 7
William Edmunds, who landed in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1635 7
Walter Edmunds, who arrived in New England in 1639 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Edmunds Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jacob Edmunds, who landed in Maryland in 1740 7
Joshua Edmunds, who landed in New Hampshire in 1745 7
Samuel Edmunds, who landed in New Hampshire in 1745 7

Edmunds Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas D Edmunds, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 7
David Edmunds, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 7

Edmunds Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Joseph Edmunds, (b. 1883), aged 21, Cornish carpenter travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 13th March 1904 en route to New York, USA 9
Mr. Charles Ernest Edmunds, (b. 1885), aged 20, Cornish blacksmith travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 18th February 1905 en route to Sutter Creek, California, USA 9

Edmunds migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Edmunds Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Edmunds, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750

Edmunds Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Eliphalet Edmunds, who landed in Canada in 1834

Edmunds migration to Australia +

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

Edmunds Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Edmunds, (b. 1808), aged 18, English shop man who was convicted in Surrey, England for life for burglary, transported aboard the "England"on 28th April 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. James Edmunds (b. 1801), aged 33, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 27th March 1834, sentenced for 14 years for stealing a silver watch from Thomas Goyne, transported aboard the ship "Augusta Jessie" on 27th September 1834 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 11
Mr. James Edmunds, (Edmonds), (b. 1801), aged 33, Cornish gardener who was convicted in Cornwall, England for 14 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 27 September 1834, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Arthur Joseph Edmunds, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Surrey" in 1838 13
Joseph Edmunds, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Surrey" in 1838 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Edmunds 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:

Edmunds Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Samuel John Edmunds, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Mr. Williams Edmunds, (b. 1830), aged 28, English shoemaker from Kent travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 14
Mrs. Maria Edmunds, (b. 1836), aged 22, English settler from Kent travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 14
Mr. Isaac Edmunds, (b. 1844), aged 15, English farm labourer from Oxfordshire with Buckingham family travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Victory " arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th May 1859 14
Mr. Henry Charles Edmunds, (b. 1840), aged 34, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "May Queen" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 13th November 1874, he died on board 15

Contemporary Notables of the name Edmunds (post 1700) +

Don Edmunds (1930-2020), American racecar driver and car builder
Newton Edmunds (1819-1908), second Governor of Dakota Territory, serving during the American Civil War
Margo Edmunds, American health policy researcher, strategy consultant, educator, and writer
James M. Edmunds (1810-1879), American politician from the U.S. state of Michigan
Robert Holt Edmunds Jr. (b. 1949), American judge
George Franklin Edmunds (1828-1919), American senator
George Edmunds, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1868 16
Felix E. Edmunds, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Virginia State House of Delegates, 1950 16
Enoch Edmunds, American politician, Member of New Jersey State Senate from Cape May County, 1850-52 16
E. B. Edmunds, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1908 16
... (Another 23 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Edmunds family +

HMS Dorsetshire

Vaughan Edmunds (d. 1945), British Ordinary Seaman aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 17

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. William Henry Edmunds, British Sergeant, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking, also sailed aboard the HMS Stronghold was lost in action 18

HMS Royal Oak

Robert Edmunds, British Engine Room Artificer 4th Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 19

USS Arizona

Mr. Bruce Roosevelt Edmunds, American Yeoman Second Class from New Hampshire, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 20

Victoria steamboat disaster

S. W. Edmunds, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881
Wm C. Edmunds, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
"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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SURRY/SURREY 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Surry-Surrey.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html