Hanmair History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The Welsh name Hanmair comes from the name of the parish of Hanmer, which was in the diocese of St. Asaph, in the county of Flint. 1

Early Origins of the Hanmair family

The surname Hanmair was first found in Flintshire (Welsh: Sir y Fflint), a historic county, created after the defeat of the Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd in 1284, and located in north-east Wales, where the Hanmair family held a seat from early times as Lords of the manor of Hanmer in that shire, from about the year 1250.

The first to bear this name was Sir John of Macclesfield who was Constable of Carnarvon Castle who assumed the name of Hanmer from his mother's family, his mother being an heiress of Hanmer. The original family name is said to have been Mackfel, but this is thought to have been merely a corruption of Macclesfield. It is more likely that they are direct descendants of Tudor Trevor through David Ap Dai Madoc, through David Voel of Hanmer, grandson of Sir John Hopton of Bettisfield, who is claimed to be the lineal male ancestor of the Hanmers of Hanmer.

"Holbrook Hall, in the parish [of Little Waldfield in Suffolk] is the seat of a branch of the Hanmer family." 2

Early History of the Hanmair family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hanmair research. Another 178 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1370, 1387, 1420, 1543, 1574, 1575, 1584, 1590, 1598, 1604, 1606, 1612, 1615, 1624, 1628, 1629, 1640, 1659, 1669, 1677, 1678, 1687, 1701, 1714, 1715 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Hanmair History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hanmair Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Therefore, scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Hanmair has occasionally been spelled Hanmere, Hanmare, Hanmair, Hanmer, Hanmerr, Handmer and many more.

Early Notables of the Hanmair family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sir David Hanmer, KS, SL (c.1332-1387), an Anglo-Welsh Justice of the King's Bench from Hanmer, Wales, Owain Glyndwr's father-in-law and the father of Glyndwr's chief supporters; and his wife, Margaret Hanmer (c. 1370 - c. 1420), also known by her Welsh name of Marred ferch Dafydd; Sir John Hanmer, 1st Baronet (1590-1624), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1624; Sir Thomas Hanmer, 2nd Baronet...
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hanmair Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hanmair family

In the 1800s and 1900s, many Welsh families left for North America, in search of land, work, and freedom. Those who made the trip successfully helped contribute to the growth of industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Hanmair George Hanmer, who settled in Bermuda in 1635; another George, who settled in Somers Island in the same year, Joseph Hanmer, who settled in New York State in 1690.

The Hanmair Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Gardez l'honneur
Motto Translation: Keep the honour.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.