Mence History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Mence family

The surname Mence was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), where the first record of the family was the singular Minna, listed here in the Assize Rolls of 1202. Over one hundred years later, Gostelynus Mynne was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. 1

"This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Min.' There is some evidence in favour of an old personal name Min, which was probably a nick. Minnie is still used as a girl's pet name for Emmeline. " 2

Another researcher agrees: "This series seems to point to Minn, (the same as Mynn) as an ancient personal name." 3

Early History of the Mence family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mence research. Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1094, 1184, 1327, 1429, 1492, 1541, 1549, 1550, 1558, 1563, 1564, 1571, 1572, 1585, 1587, 1588, 1595, 1598, 1599, 1603, 1608, 1609, 1615, 1623, 1625, 1642, 1665, 1666, 1671, 1748, 1793 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Mence History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mence Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Minn, Minns, Mynn, Mynns, Myn, Min, Mynne, Menne, Minnes, Ming, Ming, Mink, Menn, Mence, Minne, Meny, Mynne, Meene, Mean and many more.

Early Notables of the Mence family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Christopher Myngs (1625-1666), English Admiral and pirate who came of a Norfolk family. It "is said by Pepys to have been of very humble origin, ‘his father being always, and at this day, a shoemaker, and his mother, a hoyman's daughter, of which he was used frequently to boast’ (Diary, 13 June 1666; cf. 26 Oct. 1665). This is certainly exaggerated, if not entirely false. His parents were of well-to-do families in the north of Norfolk. His father, John Myngs, though described in the register of Salthouse, where he was married on 28 Sept...
Another 315 words (22 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mence Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mence family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Thomas Minnes, who arrived in Virginia in 1651; Albert Minnes, who came to New York, NY sometime between 1663 and 1667; as well as James Minnie, who was on record in the census of Ontario, Canada of 1871..

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.