Show ContentsBanning History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The saga of the name Banning follows a line reaching back through history to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for someone who worked as a person who was a slayer of men in battle. The name means warrior or solider.

Early Origins of the Banning family

The surname Banning was first found in London, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Banning family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Banning research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1890 is included under the topic Early Banning History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Banning Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Banning were recorded, including Banning, Baning, Bannin and others.

Early Notables of the Banning family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Greaves-Banning of Irlam Hall

Banning Ranking

In the United States, the name Banning is the 11,112nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Ireland Migration of the Banning family to Ireland

Some of the Banning family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Banning migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Banning family emigrate to North America:

Banning Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John D Banning, who landed in Maryland in 1650 2
  • Jan Banning, who landed in New York, NY in 1655 2
  • Edward Banning, who landed in Maryland in 1678 2
  • James Banning, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 2
Banning Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Samuel Banning, who arrived in Connecticut in 1700 2
  • Benoni Banning, who arrived in Maryland in 1740 2
  • James Banning who settled in New England in 1774
  • Phineas Banning, who landed in Delaware in 1776 2
Banning Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Martin Banning, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1856
  • John Banning, who arrived in Harford County, Maryland in 1858 2
  • P Banning, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1872 2

Australia Banning migration to Australia +

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

Banning Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Banning, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for life for stealing, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Banning (post 1700) +

  • James Herman Banning (1899-1933), American aviation pioneer, the first African-American to fly across America
  • Lance Banning (1942-2006), American historian, a specialist in the politics of the United States' founding fathers, awarded a 1979 Guggenheim Fellowship
  • Margaret Frances Culkin Banning (1891-1982), American best-selling author of thirty-six novels
  • Mary Elizabeth Banning (1832-1903), American mycologist and botanical illustrator
  • Leslie Banning (b. 1930), retired American film actress, known for His Kind of Woman (1951), Renegades of the Sage (1949) and Black Hills Ambush (1952)
  • Henry B. Banning (1836-1881), American general in the American Civil War and later politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio (1873-1879) and (1866-1868)
  • Phineas Banning (1830-1885), American businessman, stagecoach driver, entrepreneur, and general, known as "the Father of the Port of Los Angeles"
  • Leonard Banning (b. 1910), British broadcaster of Nazi propaganda during World War II
  • Joanne Banning (b. 1977), Australian bronze medalist field hockey striker at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
  • Émile Theodore Joseph Hubert Banning (1836-1898), Belgian senior civil servant
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde


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