Barington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

When the ancestors of the Barington family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in parishes at Cambridge, Berkshire, Somerset and Gloucester. Their original family seat was at Barentin in Normandy, and they were one of a group of families that draw their name from this location. 1

Early Origins of the Barington family

The surname Barington was first found in Cambridge and Lincolnshire where they have held a family seat from very ancient times. Barrington or De Barenton was located near Caudebec, Normandy. 1

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use in early times.

Fulk de Barenton was found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1198 and a few years later, Geoffrey de Barrington was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Dorset and Somerset in 1219. In Essex, the Feet of Fines for 1344 include and entry for Nicholas de Baryngton. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Warin de Barenton, Cambridgeshire; Gilbert de Barenton, Cambridgeshire; Drogo de Barentin, Oxfordshire; and William de Barentin, Oxfordshire. 3

"Some of the families of this name claim a Norman descent, and derive their name from Barenton. The Irish Baronet deduces himself from a Saxon progenitor, keeper of the Forest of Hatfield in the days of the Conqueror. Le Neve derives the name from an imaginary Saxon called Barentine, but according to Sir Jonas Barrington's Memoirs, the family's Norman origin is unquestionable. The surname was variously written Barentin, Barentyn, Barenton, Barentine, and at length took the English form of Barrington, There are parishes bearing this name in four English counties." 4

As far as the place names are concerned, most date back to Domesday Book of 1086: Barrington, Cambridgeshire was recorded as Barentone at that time; Barrington in Somerset was recorded as Barintone; and Great & Little Barrington, Gloucestershire was recorded as Bernin(n)tomne. 5 All places are derived from a "farmstead of a man called 'Barra', which is an old personal name. 6

Early History of the Barington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barington research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1570, 1588, 1601, 1605, 1611, 1621, 1628, 1629, 1644, 1645, 1648, 1660, 1671, 1679, 1683, 1715, 1728, 1764, 1797, 1800 and 1917 are included under the topic Early Barington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barington Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Barington have been found, including Barrington, Barentin, Berrington, Berington, Berinton, Barenten, Barenton, Barentine, Barentyn, Barrinton, Barrenkton, Barringston and many more.

Early Notables of the Barington family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Berrington, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1588; Sir Francis Barrington, 1st Baronet (ca. 1570-1628), an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Essex (1601-1611) and (1621-1628); his son, Sir Thomas Barrington, 2nd Baronet (died 1644)...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Barington family to Ireland

Some of the Barington family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barington migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Barington were among those contributors:

Barington Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Era Barington, who landed in Virginia in 1648 7
William Barington, who arrived in Maryland in 1669 7

The Barington Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ung durant ma vie
Motto Translation: The same while I live.

Citations +

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)
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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)
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)