Show ContentsHandynd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Handynd is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Handynd family lived in the place named Hendon, in Middlesex. The place-name is derived from an Old English expression that means at the high hill or in the valley with the deer. The place named Hendon is in the London Metropolitan area and is situated some seven miles north-west of Charing Cross. The Hendron variant is now chiefly found in County Armagh, Ireland, but it earliest origins lie in Middlesex.

Early Origins of the Handynd family

The surname Handynd was first found in Middlesex. Alternatively, the family could have originated in Endon, a township, in the parish and union of Leek, N. division of the hundred of Totmonslow in Staffordshire. 1

Early History of the Handynd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Handynd research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1639 and 1865 are included under the topic Early Handynd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Handynd Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Hendon, Henden, Hendwn and others.

Early Notables of the Handynd family

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

Ireland Migration of the Handynd family to Ireland

Some of the Handynd family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Handynd family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Handynd name or one of its variants: Susan Hendon who settled in Maryland in 1729.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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