First found in Staffordshire where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the oppurtunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Hampton or a variant listed above: Joanne Hampton who settled in Virginia in 1621; with her husband William; Anne Hampton settled in the Barbados in 1697; John Hampton settled in Virginia in 1634. In Newfoundland, Robert Hampton was a grand juror of St. John's in 1811.

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