Show ContentsEntingham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Entingham was derived from the Old English expression meaning "homestead of the family or followers of a man called Anta" 1

Early Origins of the Entingham family

The surname Entingham was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat in the village of Antingham in that shire. The village is so named from the River Ant which has as its source Antingham Common. Prior to the Norman Conquest, in Saxon times, the village was named Attinga, Antigeham, and later Antingham. 2 At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book by William the Conqueror in 1086 the Manor of Antingham was held by Turstin FitzGuy, under tenant, from Chief tenant Roger Bigod, originally of Chanon Maletot, near Caen in Normandy, whose successors Hugh, and Roger Bigod his son, Earl of Norfolk, would be two of the 25 Barons who signed the Magna Charta in 1215. Robert Bigot, father of Roger, chief tenant, married the sister of Turstin Goz in Normandy, and the similarity of the two names cannot escape attention. Roger Bigod married Adeliza Grantemesnil and had seven children. He died in 1107 and is buried in Thetford Abbey in Norfolk. There is no record of Thurston FitzGuy being at the Conquest, nor did the name FitzGuy survive as a viable family name. It was customary, when the Normans introduced surnames into England in 1066, that the junior sons of the Baron would adopt the surname of the location where they held a family seat, so as to distinguish son from father. Turstin FitzGuy was under-tenant and seated at Antingham Manor. Conjecturally, the Antingham family surname is descended from this Norman noble, Turstin FitzGuy, who may have been the grandson, nephew or natural son of Roger Bigod, favorite of Duke William, who sired the Dukes of Norfolk.

Early History of the Entingham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Entingham research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1414 and 1468 are included under the topic Early Entingham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Entingham 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 Entingham have been found, including Antingham, Antlingham, Attingham, Antringham, Anthingham, Antygham and many more.

Early Notables of the Entingham family

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

Migration of the Entingham family

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 Entingham were among those contributors: Willm Antingham, who settled in North America in 1836; James Antrim, who arrived in New Jersey in 1678; John Antrim, who arrived in New Jersey in 1682.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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