Abinton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Abinton family

The surname Abinton was first found in Cambridgeshire at the Abingtons which consist of two villages: Little Abington and Great Abington; both date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 and were collectively known as Abintone at that time. 1

Abington Pigotts was established about the same time and had a similar listing in the Domesday Book. These locations are derived from the Old English personal name + "ing" + "tun," and literally meant "estate associated with a man called Abba." 2

Abington (St. Peter And St. Paul), is also a parish, in the hundred of Spelhoe, union, and S. division of the county, in Northamptonshire. Abingdon is a borough and market-town in Berkshire. According to a manuscript in the Cottonian library, in the time of the Britons, it was a city of considerable importance, and distinguished as a royal residence, to which the people resorted to assist at the great councils of the nation.

To the Saxons, it was called Scovechesham, or Sewsham; but it acquired the name of Abbendon, "the town of the abbey" in 680. After the establishment of the monastery, Offa, King of Mercia, on a visit to Abingdon, was so pleased with the area that he erected a palace there, in which he and his immediate successors, Egferth and Cenwulf, frequently lived. The monastery continued to flourish until 871, when it was destroyed by the Danes. 3

Early History of the Abinton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abinton research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1418, 1447, 1497, 1553, 1560, 1586, 1605, 1647 and 1654 are included under the topic Early Abinton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abinton Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Abington, Abbington, Abingdon, Abbingdon, Habington, Habbington, Habbindon, Habbingdon, Habbington and many more.

Early Notables of the Abinton family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry Abyngdon, Abingdon or Abington (ca. 1418-1497) was an English ecclesiastic and musician, thought to have been the first to receive a university degree in music. He succeeded John Bernard as subcentor of Wells on Nov. 24, 1447, and held that post till his death on Sept. 1, 1497, when he was succeeded by Robert Wydewe. Edward Habington, Abington, or Abingdon (1553?-1586), was one of the conspirators in the plot formed by Anthony Babington to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I. He...
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Abinton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Abinton family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Abinton or a variant listed above: John Abingdon, who came to Maryland in 1651; Catherine A. Abington, who settled in Victoria, B.C. in 1862; William Abington, who arrived in Maine in 1642.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.