MacAnthony History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the MacAnthony family first reached the shores of England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Their name is derived from the Latin family name Antonius, which means "inestimable or worthy of praise." 1 Another source notes that it may have been derived from "the personal name; also a parish in Cornwall. Places called St. Antoine and Antoigni occur in Normandy. " 2

Early Origins of the MacAnthony family

The surname MacAnthony was first found in Lincolnshire. "The name had become fairly popular in England in the 13th century, as having been borne by the great hermit of the 4th century. He was the patron saint of the swineherd. " 3

Early History of the MacAnthony family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacAnthony research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1550, 1568, 1585, 1607, 1613, 1616, 1623 and 1655 are included under the topic Early MacAnthony History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacAnthony Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Anthony, Antony, Antonie, McAnthony, Anton (Scot), Anthoney, Enthony and many more.

Early Notables of the MacAnthony family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Anthony, Chief engraver to the Royal Mint who engraved all the coins for King Edward VI, Queen Mary and the first Queen Elizabeth (1568.) Anthony of Knight's Close is the family seat. John Anthony (1585-1655), was an English physician, educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge in 1613. 4 Francis...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacAnthony Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacAnthony family to Ireland

Some of the MacAnthony family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 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 MacAnthony family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name MacAnthony or a variant listed above: Andrew Anthony who settled in Virginia in 1637; Edward Anthony arrived in Barbados in 1687; Jean Anthony settled in Charles Town SC in 1763 and many more. In Newfoundland, Matthew Antony settled in Trinity Harbor in 1682.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print