Show ContentsHanton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Hanton is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived in the parish of Hinton in the diocese of Salisbury, Winchester, Oxford, Peterborough, Bath and Wells.

There are two very different origins of the word Hinton. First, it means "high (or chief) farmstead," from the Old English "heah" + "tun," and secondly it means "farmstead belonging to a religious community," from the Old English "hiwan" + "tun." [1]

From the many parishes found, the oldest is Hinton St. Mary, Dorset which was known in Saxon times as Hamtune in 944. [1]

Hinton-in-the-Hedges is a small village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. A church has existed here since Saxon times. The earliest recorded Rector was Sir Richard de Hynton in 1275. There is a monument to Sir William Hinton found here.

Early Origins of the Hanton family

The surname Hanton was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Robert de Hintona was listed. [2]

Years later, Thomas de Hyneton was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1230 in Dorset and later, Thomas Hynton was found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1385. [3]

The "Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I" included some of the early entries for the family: Thomas de Hynton, Oxfordshire; Lucia de Hineton, Berkshire; and Matilda de Hinton, Middlesex. [4]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed John de Hinton, Cambridgeshire; and Roger de Hinton, Dorset. [5]

Early History of the Hanton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hanton research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1603, 1615, 1627, 1633, 1634, 1637, 1640, 1655, 1664, 1682, 1692 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Hanton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hanton Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hanton family name include Hinton, Hynton, Hintone and others.

Early Notables of the Hanton family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir John Hinton (1603?-1682), English Royalist, born in London about 1603. "On 10 April 1633 he entered Leyden University, where he probably proceeded M.D. He presented himself at the censor's board of the Royal College of Physicians on 6 February 1634, but, as he had not then been engaged in practice for the statutable period of four years, was not examined. On 7 November 1640 he again appeared at...
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hanton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Australia Hanton migration to Australia +

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

Hanton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Margaret Hanton, (b. 1827), aged 21, English convict who was convicted in Preston, Lancashire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Elizabeth and Henry" on 11th February 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [6]

Contemporary Notables of the name Hanton (post 1700) +

  • David Hanton Jr. (b. 1910), American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Port Huron, Michigan, 1935 [7]
  • Carl Hanton, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 1940 [7]
  • Colin Leo Hanton (b. 1938), English drummer for The Quarrymen, which would later evolve into The Beatles
  • Alex Hanton (1922-2011), former Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in 1946, twin brother of Hal Hanton, each died 9 days apart
  • Hal Hanton (1922-2011), former Australian rules footballer


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth-and-henry
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 30) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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