Contents [hide]

Bunting History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Bunting History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Austria
Germany
Scotland
Ireland
England

The are many presumed origins for the name Bunting. We will attempt to list a few of them here. The name may be "derived from a nickname, 'good little pet,' a term of endearment for a little child, afterwards applied more generally, a term of endearment" 1

"The name is curiously interesting as surviving in one of our favourite nursery rhymes, a strong proof of its antiquity: 'Baby, baby Bunting, Daddy's gone a hunting, Gone to get a rabbit skin To wrap his baby Bunting in.'" 2

Another source claims the name to be "Anglo-French-Latin, a corruption form of the French Bonnetin, Bonneton." 3 Another source claims the name was "a kind of bird." 4 Another claims the name to be "from the Flemish, Buntinx." 5

Early Origins of the Bunting family

The surname Bunting was first found in Peeblesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd nam Pùballan), former county in South-central Scotland.

The earliest record of the family in England was Wluric Buntin who was listed in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk in 1188. Later William Buntin was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1260 and Henry Buntyng was listed in 1332. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 elude to the widespread use with a wide variety of spellings: Alice Bunetun, Oxfordshire; Thomas Bunetun, Oxfordshire; Hugh Bonting, Lincolnshire; Henry Buntyng, Suffolk; and John Buntyng, Sussex. 2

"The name of Bunting, which now has its home in the Ashbourn district [of Derbyshire and] is also established in Norfolk and Essex. In the 13th century this name occurred, usually as Bunting or Buntyng but sometimes as Buntig or Buntyg, in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, and Sussex (H. R.). It still remains in Norfolk, and occurs also in Essex." 7

"Bunting or Buntyng was a common name among the Norfolk clergy in the 15th century; at that time, also, a family of the name lived at Framingham, near Norwich (Bl.). In the 13th century it was still represented in Norfolk. The Bantings, according to Kemble, were an Anglo-Saxon Clan. " 7

Later, Ireland became home to many of the family, but that migration is discussed in more detail later.

Early History of the Bunting family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bunting research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1489, 1605, 1650, 1664, 1672, 1773, 1843 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bunting History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bunting Spelling Variations

Scribes in Medieval Scotland spelled names by sound rather than any set of rules, so an enormous number of spelling variations exist in names of that era. Bunting has been spelled Buntin, Bunten, Bunton, Bunting, Buntain, Buntaine, Buntine, Bontine, Buntyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Bunting family

More information is included under the topic Early Bunting Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bunting Ranking

In the United States, the name Bunting is the 3,994^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 8

Migration of the Bunting family to Ireland

Some of the Bunting family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 206 words (15 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bunting migration to the United States +

The number of Strathclyde Clan families sailing for North America increased steadily as the persecution continued. In the colonies, they could find not only freedom from the iron hand of the English government, but land to settle on. The American War of Independence allowed many of these settlers to prove their independence, while some chose to go to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots played essential roles in the forging of both great nations. Among them:

Bunting Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Samuel Bunting, who arrived in New Jersey in 1678 9

Bunting Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Quendam Bunting, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 9
Samuel Bunting who settled in Pennsylvania in 1725
William Bunting who settled in Maryland in 1776
William Bunting, who arrived in New York in 1795 9

Bunting Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Matthew Bunting, aged 28, who landed in Delaware in 1813 9
Matthew Bunting who arrived in Delaware in 1813
W. Bunting who was registered in San Francisco in 1851
W Bunting, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 9

Bunting migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bunting Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Roland Bunting U.E. (b. 1739) who settled in Loch Lomond, Rothesay, New Brunswick c. 1783 died in 1839 10

Bunting migration to Australia +

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

Bunting Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Alice Bunting, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Canada" in March 1810, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. Robert Bunting, British Convict who was convicted in Warwick, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 20th July 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. William Bunting, (b. 1821), aged 21, English butcher who was convicted in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for 10 years for house breaking, transported aboard the "Candahar" on 26th March 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1868 13
William Bunting, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1848 14
Eliza Bunting, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asiatic" in 1849 15

Bunting 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:

Bunting Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Isabella Bunting, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand in 1858 16
Mr. William G. Bunting, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand in 1858 16
Miss Mary Agnes Bunting, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand in 1858 16
Miss Fanny Bunting, (b. 1864), aged Infant, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 16
Mr. Allan Bunting, (b. 1824), aged 40, British farm labourer travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bunting migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 17

Bunting Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Rice Bunting, (b. 1618), aged 17, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 18
Sarah Bunting, who settled in Barbados in 1678 with her husband Samuel

Contemporary Notables of the name Bunting (post 1700) +

Thomas Lathrop Bunting (1844-1898), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (1891-1893)
Anne Evelyn "Eve" Bunting (b. 1928), Northern Ireland-born, American writer of more than 250 books
William Carl "Bill" Bunting (b. 1947), retired American NBA basketball player who played for the Carolina Cougars (1969-70), New York Nets (1970) and Virginia Squires (1970-72)
James Whitney Bunting (b. 1913), American academic, President of Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia (1953-1955)
Josiah Bunting III (b. 1939), American Rhodes scholar and college president
Sir John Bunting, High Commissioner to Australia
Mr. Richard Bunting, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1536 to 1537
Major Ronald Terence Bunting (1924-1984), British Army officer and unionist politician in Northern Ireland
Madeleine Bunting, English writer, former Associate Editor and columnist at The Guardian newspaper
Edward Lancelot Bunting (1883-1962), English cricketer who played a one first-class match in 1922 for Worcestershire
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Bunting family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. James Bunting (1919-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Paddington, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 19

HMS Repulse

Mr. Harry Bunting, English Stoker 1st Class from Dorset, England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 20

Citations +

Halliwell, James Orchard. A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial WordsLondon: John Russel Smith, Old Compton Street, Soho, 1848, Digital, 2 Vols
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canada
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th February 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1837
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/candahar
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE - 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Constance.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The ASIATIC 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Asiatic.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html