Hannibal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Hannibal is one of the oldest family names to come from the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the female personal name Anabel, which was originally derived from the Latin word amablis, which means lovable. 1

"There is no difficulty about it. Originally it was Amable or Amabel, but very soon became Annabel, whence the Scottish Annaple and Annabella. " 2

"There is no evidence for the use of Hannibal as a Christian name in England before 1619 in Cornwall." 3

Early Origins of the Hannibal family

The surname Hannibal was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where we found entries as a forename and surname: Amabilia (without surname), Buckinghamshire; John filius Amabilie, Huntingdonshire; and John Amable Cambridgeshire. 2

The Close Rolls listed Richard Anabilla, temp. Richard II, Mathew Hanybal, 39 Henry III (in the 39th year of King Henry III's reign), John Anable, 22 Edward III (during the 22nd year of King Edward III's reign.) 2

In Cheshire, Roger, George Anabull(e) was listed there in 1499 and 1539. Thomas Hannyball was listed in Oxfordshire in 1513 and John Anyable was listed in Suffolk in 1568. 3

Early History of the Hannibal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hannibal research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1166, 1256, 1275, 1282, 1504, 1513, 1515, 1520, 1523, 1531, 1792 and 1821 are included under the topic Early Hannibal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hannibal Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Hannibal has undergone many spelling variations, including Annabell, Anabell, Anebelle, Annabal, Annable, Anable, Amable, Amabilis, Annible, Hunnable, Hannibal, Honeyball, Honeybell and many more.

Early Notables of the Hannibal family

Distinguished members of the family include

Thomas Hannibal (d. 1531), English judge who was incepted in the canon law at the university of Cambridge in 1504, and the same year was installed prebendary of Gevendale in the church of York...

Hannibal migration to Australia +

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

Hannibal Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Julian Hannibal, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Forfarshire" in 1848 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Hannibal (post 1700) +

Robin Hannibal (b. 1981), Danish record producer, songwriter, remixer and musician
Heinrich Hannibal (1889-1971), German Waffen SS Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of Polizei during World War II awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Lee Hannibal Hamlin (b. 1902), American Republican politician, Member of Missouri State House of Representatives from Jackson County 10th District, 1943-46, 1955-56 5
Vice Admiral Harley Hannibal Christy (1870-1950), United States Navy officer during the Spanish-American War and World War I
Vice Admiral Harley Hannibal Christie (1870-1950), American Navy officer during the Spanish-American War and World War I
Hannibal Amir Buress (b. 1983), American comedian, actor, writer, and producer from Chicago, Illinois
Hannibal Emery Hamlin (1858-1938), American Republican politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives, 1893-95; Member of Maine State Senate, 1899-1901; Maine State Attorney General, 1905-08 5
Hannibal Hamlin (1809-1891), American Republican politician, U.S. Senator from Maine, 1848-57, 1857-61, 1869-81; Governor of Maine, 1857; Vice President of the United States, 1861-65; U.S. Collector of Customs, 1865-66 5
Hannibal Hamlin (1809-1891), American political leader, 15th Vice President of the United States (1861-1865) serving under President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War
Hannibal Lafayette Godwin (1873-1929), American politician, U.S. Congressman from North Carolina

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FORFARSHIRE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Forfarshire.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html