Hantwhistle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Hantwhistle family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Entwistle, a township in the parish of Bolton, Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Hantwhistle family

The surname Hantwhistle was first found in Lancashire at Entwistle, a township, in the chapelry of Turton, parish and union of Bolton, hundred of Salford.

"The township was anciently common land, belonging to the families of Blackburn and Entwistle. The latter family was long settled here, and Camden speaks of Entwistle Hall, in his time, as being "a neat and elegant mansion, the residence of noble proprietors of its own name. 1

"Sir Bertine Entwistle, knight, viscount, and Baron, of Bricqbec, in Normandy, a distinguished warrior in the reigns of Henry V. and VI., was among the heroes of Agincourt, and contributed by his zeal to the conquest of France. He was also engaged, on the side of the latter monarch, in the battle of St. Alban's, the first blow struck in the fatal quarrel between the houses of York and Lancaster, in 1455; and there unfortunately perished." 1

Wardleworth in Lancashire was home to a branch of the family. "Foxholes, in the township, has long been the seat of the Entwistles, a distinguished Lancashire family, of whom was Sir Bertyne Entwistle, one of the heroes of Agincourt. The original mansion was built by Edmund Entwistle soon after the Reformation." 1

Early History of the Hantwhistle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hantwhistle research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1574, 1582 and 1620 are included under the topic Early Hantwhistle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hantwhistle Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hantwhistle include Entwistle, Entwisell, Entwissell, Entwhistle and many more.

Early Notables of the Hantwhistle family

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

Migration of the Hantwhistle family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hantwhistle or a variant listed above: James and Rose Entwhistle arrived in Philadelphia in 1830; James Entwisle arrived in New York in 1820; Isaac, John and James Entwisle arrived in Philadelphia in 1844.

The Hantwhistle 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: Per ce signe a Agincourt
Motto Translation: Through this sign, we have Agincourt

Citations +

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