Cofington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Cofington comes from when the family resided at Covington in Huntingdon. The name was a habitational name having derived from the Old English "Cofingtun" which meant "Cofa's settlement." 1 Covington dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was first listed as Covintune. 2

Early Origins of the Cofington family

The surname Cofington was first found in at Covington in Huntingdonshire (now part of Cambridgeshire.) There is also a Scottish branch that had an earliest record of the 12th century.

In fact, Covington and Thankeston is a parish in Lanarkshire that has an interesting origin. "Of these ancient parishes, which were united about the beginning of the 18th century, the former derives its name, anciently Colbanstoun, from its proprietor Colban, in the 12th century; and the latter, from a Flemish settler named Tankard or Thankard, who obtained a grant of lands here during the reign of Malcolm IV. " 3

Another source claims that Covinton (Covington) was probably derived from the Latin for "Villa Colbani."

Spelling changes were frequent as seen by Thomas de Colbainestun who witnessed a charter by William the Lion in Dumfriesshire c. 1187 and Thomas de Colbaynstun who witnessed the resignation of lands of Ingilbristoun in 1204. 4

Early History of the Cofington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cofington research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1120, 1204, 1296 and 1304 are included under the topic Early Cofington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cofington Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Cofington has been recorded under many different variations, including Covington, Colvaynston and others.

Early Notables of the Cofington family

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

Migration of the Cofington family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Cofington or a variant listed above: Thomas Covington and his wife Ann who received a land patent in Maryland in 1665; Arthur Covington, who came to Virginia in 1683; Peter Covington, an English convict who was sent to Maryland in 1725.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)