Show ContentsPutenman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestry of the name Putenman dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Puttenham, a place-name found in the counties of Hertfordshire and Surrey. [1] [2] Both place-names have an identical etymology. They are derived from the Old English word ham, which means farm, and either the Old English personal name Putta, or the Old English word putta, which means hawk. The place-name taken as a whole means "farm belonging to Putta," or "farm where there are hawks." [3]

Early Origins of the Putenman family

The surname Putenman was first found in Hertfordshire at Puttenham, a small village and parish, in the union of Berkhampstead, hundred of Dacorum. [4] The parish is listed as Puteham in the Domesday Book of 1086. [5] [1]

Puttenham, Surrey is another parish in the First division of the hundred of Godalming. [4] The first record of this local was in 1199 when it was listed as Puteham. [3]

Puttenham Priory is a large house at the eastern end of the village and dates back to 1266. St John the Baptist church "occupies a picturesque situation close to the mansion of Puttenham Priory, is in the later English style, and contains some ancient brasses." [4]

One of the first records of the family was Ralph de Puteham who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1205 for Berkshire. [6]Later we found Richard de Puteham in Buckinghamshire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. [7]

Early History of the Putenman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Putenman research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1520, 1529, 1588, 1589, 1590, 1601, 1615, 1621, 1651, 1679, 1686, 1692, 1699, 1716 and 1774 are included under the topic Early Putenman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Putenman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Putenman have been found, including Puttenham, Putnam, Putman and others.

Early Notables of the Putenman family

Notables of this surname at this time include: George Puttenham (1529-1590), English writer who is the reputed author of "The Arte of English Poesie" (1589). His brother Richard Puttenham (1520?-1601?) has also been credited as the author of the same source. The issue is that the publication was issued anonymously in 1589. "The full title ran: 'The Arte of English Poesie, contrived into three bookes; the first of Poets and Poesie, the second of Proportion, the third of Ornament,' London, by Richard Field, 1589. It was licensed to Thomas Orwin on 9 Nov. 1588, and Orwin transferred it to Richard Field...
Another 143 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Putenman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Putenman family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Putenman, or a variant listed above: John Putnam, who settled in Salem in 1630; A. M. G.F. H.W. J. Putnam arrived in San Francisco in 1850; David Putnam settled in Boston in 1820; Amy Putman was banished to Barbados in 1685.



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  7. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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