Show ContentsMinifie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Minifie family

The surname Minifie was first found in Devon where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century where they held estates and held a family seat at Honiton in that shire.

Early History of the Minifie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Minifie research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1080, 1163, 1455, 1487, 1510 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Minifie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Minifie Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Minifie, Minifee, Minnifee, Minnifie, Minifey, Minnifey, Mennafee, Menifey, Menifie, Mennifie, Menefee, Menafee, Minafie and many more.

Early Notables of the Minifie family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • the Minifie family of Devon


United States Minifie migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Minifie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • George Minifie, who landed in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Samuel" [1]
  • Wm. Minifie, who settled in Virginia in 1639
  • Charles Minifie, who landed in Virginia in 1643 [1]
  • Eliza Minifie, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 [1]
  • Mary Minifie, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 [1]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Minifie migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Minifie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • J. Minifie, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Belle Creole" in 1853
  • Elizabeth Minifie, aged 49, a dressmaker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adelaide" in 1858 [2]
  • Thomas Minifie, aged 22, a plumber, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adelaide" in 1858 [2]
  • Josiah Minifie, aged 17, a painter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adelaide" in 1858 [2]
  • William Minifie, aged 9, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adelaide" in 1858 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Minifie (post 1700) +

  • Susannah Minifie Gunning (1740-1800), British novelist who wrote epistolary novels
  • Richard Pearman Minifie DSC & Two Bars (1898-1969), Australian fighter pilot and flying ace of the World War I credited with 22 aerial victories


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. Shadow Time Settlers (Retrieved 5th November 2010), retrieved from http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/settlers.html


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