Buntain History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The are many presumed origins for the name Buntain. We will attempt to list a few of them here. The name may be "derived from a nickname, 'good little pet,' a term of endearment for a little child, afterwards applied more generally, a term of endearment" 1

"The name is curiously interesting as surviving in one of our favourite nursery rhymes, a strong proof of its antiquity: 'Baby, baby Bunting, Daddy's gone a hunting, Gone to get a rabbit skin To wrap his baby Bunting in.'" 2

Another source claims the name to be "Anglo-French-Latin, a corruption form of the French Bonnetin, Bonneton." 3 Another source claims the name was "a kind of bird." 4 Another claims the name to be "from the Flemish, Buntinx." 5

Early Origins of the Buntain family

The surname Buntain was first found in Peeblesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd nam Pùballan), former county in South-central Scotland.

The earliest record of the family in England was Wluric Buntin who was listed in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk in 1188. Later William Buntin was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1260 and Henry Buntyng was listed in 1332. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 elude to the widespread use with a wide variety of spellings: Alice Bunetun, Oxfordshire; Thomas Bunetun, Oxfordshire; Hugh Bonting, Lincolnshire; Henry Buntyng, Suffolk; and John Buntyng, Sussex. 2

"The name of Bunting, which now has its home in the Ashbourn district [of Derbyshire and] is also established in Norfolk and Essex. In the 13th century this name occurred, usually as Bunting or Buntyng but sometimes as Buntig or Buntyg, in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, and Sussex (H. R.). It still remains in Norfolk, and occurs also in Essex." 7

"Bunting or Buntyng was a common name among the Norfolk clergy in the 15th century; at that time, also, a family of the name lived at Framingham, near Norwich (Bl.). In the 13th century it was still represented in Norfolk. The Bantings, according to Kemble, were an Anglo-Saxon Clan. " 7

Later, Ireland became home to many of the family, but that migration is discussed in more detail later.

Early History of the Buntain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Buntain research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1489, 1605, 1650, 1664, 1672, 1773, 1843 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Buntain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Buntain Spelling Variations

The origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different spelling variations in a single document. Buntain has been spelled Buntin, Bunten, Bunton, Bunting, Buntain, Buntaine, Buntine, Bontine, Buntyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Buntain family

More information is included under the topic Early Buntain Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Buntain family to Ireland

Some of the Buntain family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 206 words (15 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Buntain migration to the United States +

The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them:

Buntain Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Duncan Buntain, aged 21, who arrived in America from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1908
Mary Buntain, aged 25, who arrived in America from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1909
James Buntain, aged 21, who arrived in America from Kilmalcolm, Scotland, in 1913
Malcolm D. Buntain, aged 25, who arrived in America from Inverness, Scotland, in 1913
Robert Buntain, aged 25, who arrived in America from Inverary, Scotland, in 1914
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Buntain (post 1700) +

Bailey Buntain, American actress and dancer

Citations +

Halliwell, James Orchard. A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial WordsLondon: John Russel Smith, Old Compton Street, Soho, 1848, Digital, 2 Vols
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.