Union History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

Brythonic in origin, the name of Union came from the rugged landscape of Wales. The name is from the common Welsh personal name Enion. The Old Welsh form of this name was Enniaun, which is ultimately derived from the Latin name Annianus. The name is also associated with the Welsh word "enion," which literally means "anvil" and connotes the qualities of stability and fortitude.

Some experts also associate the surname Union with the Welsh word "uniawn," which means "upright" or "just." One of the most celebrated bearers of this forename was Einion (or Enyon), a 11th century Welsh warrior-prince and the son of Collwyn. He played a significant role in the legend of the Conquest of Glamorgan by the Normans. It is generally believed that he built Port Eynon castle near Swansea, but evidence of the early castle has been lost. Port Eynon (also spelt Port Einon) still survives today as a village and community in the city and county of Swansea.

As a forename, the name is fairly numerous in early Welsh history including: Einion Offeiriad ("Einion the Priest") (died 1356), Welsh poet and grammarian; Einion ap Gwalchmai (1202-1223), Welsh court poet; Einion ap Gwgon (fl. c. 1215), Welsh court poet; Einion ap Gollwyn, (possibly legendary) Welsh prince of the eleventh century; Einion Wan (fl. c. 1202-1245), Welsh court poet; Saint Einion Frenin (c. 5th century), a son of Owain Ddantgwyn who reigned as a local king in Gwynedd; and Einion Yrth ap Cunedda (c. 420-500; reigned from the 470s), king of Gwynedd.

Early Origins of the Union family

The surname Union was first found in Sussex, where "in the register of East Grinstead, Sussex, in the first half of the XVII. century, the name is written indifferently Ennion and Onion. " 1

"Onions is probably another form of Inions, also a Shropshire name and above referred to. It is, however, probable that away from the Welsh border this name, as Lower suggests, may be a corruption of Unwin or Onwen, an old personal name, which was represented in Cambridgeshire and elsewhere in the 13th century by the surnames of Onwinne and Onoiun." 2

The Pipe Rolls of Shropshire (Salop) in 1159 list Ennian filius Gieruerd and later in Herefordshire, Ennion de Caple was listed there in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1205. The singular names Eynon and Eynun were listed in the Assize Rolls for Shropshire in 1221 and in Cheshire, Eignon was found there in the Assize Rolls of 1287. Anian was Bishop of Bangor in 1284 and Gruffydd ap Madog Vnyon was listed in 1392. Gode heynon was found in Suffolk in 1221 and in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, William Anyun was listed in Berkshire. Andrew Heizhnon was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Essex in 1327 and John Eynon was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327. 3

Early History of the Union family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Union research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Union History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Union Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. People could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Union name over the years has been spelled Einion, Ennian, Annian, Anyan, Einion, Ennion, Enions, Inion, Inions, Innion, Innions, Ineon, Eneon, Onion and many more.

Early Notables of the Union family

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

Migration of the Union family to Ireland

Some of the Union family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Union migration to the United States +

Many Welsh joined the great migrations to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Like their Scottish and Irish neighbors, many Welsh families left their homeland hoping to find hope and prosperity in a land that the English did not exercise a tight rule over. Those Welsh immigrants that successfully traveled to North America went on to make significant contributions to the rapid development of both Canada and the United States in terms of the settling of land and the establishment of industry. They also added to the rich cultural heritage of both countries. An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Union:

Union Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Union, who landed in Virginia in 1623 4
Mary Union, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 4

Union Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Union, who landed in Virginia in 1717 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Union (post 1700) +

Union Lee Spence (b. 1867), American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina State Senate 12th District, 1903, 1935; Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives, 1929-31 5
Union B. Hunt, American politician, Secretary of State of Indiana, 1899-1903 6

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html