Amundville History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Amundville is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Amundville family lived in Amondeville, near Caen. 1

Early Origins of the Amundville family

The surname Amundville was first found in Lincolnshire where conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Kingerby, Auresby, Ellesham, and Croxton held by Roger de Amondeville from Caen in Normandy. 2

"In Lincolnshire, for some unaccountable reason, the head of the family always bore the mysterious alias of Humfines. The first who came to England, Roger de Amondeville, "called also Humfines," was Seneschal to Remigius, Bishop of Lincoln (one of the compilers of Domesday), and by him endowed with four Lincolnshire manors, Kingerby, the principal seat of his successors, Auresby, Ellesham, and Croxton. He married a daughter of Sir Gerard Salvin, of Thorpe-Salvin in Yorkshire, and left, besides Jolland, his heir, John, and Robert. " 1

Later some of the family branched to "the Yorkshire manor of Carlton. The Amondevilles had already an estate in that county; for Whitaker tells us that they were probably the first grantees of Preston-in-Craven under Robert de Poitou." 1

"The name had not died out, either in Yorkshire or Lincolnshire; though the objectionable form of Humfines occurs no more; for Walter de Amundeville was for seven years Viscount of Lincoln in the early part of Henry III.'s reign; and Whitaker speaks of a Nigel de Amundeville who succeeded Elias in Craven, and was most likely his younger son. Ralph de Amundeville, before 1340, was one of the principal benefactors of Swine Priory, on condition the convent would receive his daughter as a nun." (Clevalend1)

Another branch existed in Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. Henry de Newburgh, the first Norman Earl of Warwick, enfeoffed Ralph de Amundeville at Lighthorne and Berkeswell, where he was seated in the time of Henry I. In 1122 he witnessed his suzerain's foundation charter of the collegiate church of Warwick.

Early History of the Amundville family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Amundville research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1179, 1256, 1262, 1510 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Amundville History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Amundville Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Amondville, Amondvile, Amundvile, Amundville and others.

Early Notables of the Amundville family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard Amundeville who in 1256 attended the Earl of Cornwall to Germany; and in 1262, was in the Welsh expedition under Prince Edward. In "Whether he did cordially adhere to the rebellious Barons shortly after, I will not take upon me to say; though plain it is that he was in Kenilworth Castle when the Royal army besieged it, and being reputed one of the Baron's partie, had safe conduct with Henry de Hastings and others, to march out upon the render thereof: yet so far...
Another 94 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Amundville Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Amundville family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Amundville or a variant listed above: George Ammond, who was naturalized in Pennsylvania in 1744.

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)