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![Show Contents]() Donnington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The ancestors of the Donnington surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived by a stream at the hill. The surname Donnington originally derived from the Old English word Dunestorp which later changed to Donnington. The surname Donnington is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came. Early Origins of the Donnington familyThe surname Donnington was first found in Leicestershire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Donnington familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Donnington research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1532 is included under the topic Early Donnington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Donnington Spelling VariationsBefore English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Donnington include Donnington, Donington, Donnyngton, Donyngton and many more. Early Notables of the Donnington familyNotables of this surname at this time include: Thomas Donington, B. Decr. (died 1532), Dean of York and Southwell. "Donington was formally instituted to Aughton by Cardinal Wolsey, as legate 'a latere,' and had, it would appear, obtained possession, but on the Feast of the Assumption, when prepared to say mass and preach the word of God, was ousted by Brian Moorcroft. The latter was chaplain of Edward Molyneux, rector of Sefton, described...
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Donnington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Donnington familyA great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Nicholas Dunington arrived in Virginia in 1651; Robert Donington arrived in Virginia in 1721; William Donington arrived in New England in 1746.
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