Hunts History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Hunts finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxons of England. It was given to one who worked as a hunter. The surname Hunts is derived from the Old English word hunta, which means hunter. 1

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listed Robert Le Huant in Normandy in 1198. 2

The name is "well distributed through England, except in the north, where its place is supplied by Hunter, which has the same signification. It is best represented in the south of England, especially in the county of Dorset, and after that in those of Wilts and Somerset." 3

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales includes and old poem about the name "With hunte and home, and houndes him beside."

Early Origins of the Hunts family

The surname Hunts was first found in Sussex where Humphrey le Hunte, was listed in the Feet of Fines in 1203. Later Ralphe Hunte was listed in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire of 1219. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed the following early entries for the family: Alice le Hunte in Oxfordshire; and Thomas le Hunte in Cambridgeshire. 5

Kirby's Quest lists the following in Somerset: Robert le Hunte and Robert le Honte, 1 Edward III (during the first year's reign of Edward III. 6

Early History of the Hunts family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hunts research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1609, 1641, 1644, 1659, 1662, 1680, 1705 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hunts History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hunts Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Hunts has been recorded under many different variations, including Hunt, Hunter, Huntar and others.

Early Notables of the Hunts family

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hunts Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hunts family to Ireland

Some of the Hunts family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hunts family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Hunts or a variant listed above: Alice Hunt, who settled in Virginia in 1654; Edward Hunt, who settled in Virginia in 1655; James Hunt, who settled in Virginia in 1636; John Hunt, who settled in Virginia in 1622.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.