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Hinckley History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Hinckley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Hinckley belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived at Hinckley, in Leicestershire. The place-name Hinckley is derived from the Old English personal name Hynca, and leah, an Old English word that meant "forest clearing."

Early Origins of the Hinckley family

The surname Hinckley was first found in Leicestershire at Hinckley, a market town and parish that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Hinchelie. 1

"This place was created a barony soon after the Conquest, and was held by Hugh de Grentismenil, seneschal of England in the reigns of William Rufus and Henry I., who erected a stately castle and a church, and founded a small priory of Benedictine monks, which, before 1173, was granted as a cell to the abbey of Lyra, in Normandy, by Robert Blanchmaines, Earl of Leicester." 2

One of the first records of the family was Anfred de Hinkelai who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire in 1176. A few years later, Roger de Hinckelee was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Wiltshire in 1208 and later again, John de Hynkeley was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1332. 3

Early History of the Hinckley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hinckley research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1322, 1617, 1618, 1634, 1680, 1686, 1695 and 1706 are included under the topic Early Hinckley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hinckley Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Hinckley include Hinkley, Hinkler, Hincle, Hinchley, Hinckley and others.

Early Notables of the Hinckley family

Distinguished members of the family include

Thomas Hinckley (1618-1706), English immigrant to New England in 1634 from Tenterden, Kent, 14th Governor of Plymouth Colony (1680-1686.)
John Hinckley (1617?-1695), was an English controversialist, born about 1617, the son of Robert Hinckley of Coughton, Warwickshire, and was 'puritanically educated.' 4

Hinckley Ranking

In the United States, the name Hinckley is the 8,192^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Hinckley migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Hinckley were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Hinckley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Susan Hinckley, who arrived New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 6
Samuel Hinckley, who landed in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 6
Sara Hinckley, who arrived New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 7
Mary Hinckley, who arrived New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 7
Elizabeth Hinckley, who arrived New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hinckley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Amos Hinckley, who settled in New York in 1851
Charles Hinckley, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6

Hinckley migration to Australia +

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

Hinckley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Hinckley, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1849 8

Hinckley 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:

Hinckley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Hinckley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Excelsior" in 1869 9
Mr. Robert Hinckley, (b. 1852), aged 27, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Stad Haarlem" arriving in Lyttleton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1879 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Hinckley (post 1700) +

May Green Hinckley (1881-1943), American third general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Lyman G. Hinckley (1832-1887), American lawyer and politician
Robert H. Hinckley (1891-1988), American involved heavily in aviation and politics
Michael David Hinckley (b. 1982), American professional baseball pitcher
Alonzo Arza Hinckley (1870-1936), member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Bryant Stringham Hinckley (1867-1961), American author, religious speaker, civic leader and educator
Ira Nathaniel Hinckley (1828-1904), American early Latter Day Saint leader
Gordon Bitner Hinckley (1910-2008), American religious leader and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
John Warnock Hinckley Jr. (b. 1955), who in 1981 attempted to assassinate President Reagan
George Hinckley (1819-1904), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Hinckley family +

RMS Titanic

Mr. George Hinckley (d. 1912), aged 35, English Bath Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett 11

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"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, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The BOLTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Bolton.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html