Adington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Adington comes from the family having resided in one of several places named Addington in the counties of Devon, Kent, Surrey, Northamptonshire, and Buckinghamshire. The manor in Addington in Surrey has an interesting story to tell. "The manor is held by the singular tenure of making and presenting to the king, at his coronation, a mess of pottage called mewpergynon; subject to the performance of which, a carucate of land here was granted to Tezelin, cook to William the Conqueror." 1

Early Origins of the Adington family

The surname Adington was first found in any of the aforementioned counties in Britain. Due to the rather large number of villages and parishes named Addington, one would presume that the name was derived from a local feature such as a hill or valley, but this in not the case. Literally the place name means "estate associated with a man called Eadda or Aeddi," from the Old English personal name + "-ing" + "tun." 2

Indeed there are at least four listings of the place name in the Domesday Book of 1086: Edintone (Buckinghamshire); Eddintone (Greater London); Eddintune (Kent); and Edintone (Northamptonshire.) 3

Some of the first listings of the surname include: William de Adinton in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1176; Hugh de Adinton in the Assize Rolls of 1202; and Gilbert de Adintun who was listed in Surrey in 1226. 4

Early History of the Adington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Adington research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1644 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Adington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Adington Spelling Variations

Adington has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Addington, Adington, Adinton, Addinton and others.

Early Notables of the Adington family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Adington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Adington migration to Canada +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Adingtons to arrive on North American shores:

Adington Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Emily B Adington, who arrived in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862

The Adington Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Libertas sub Rege Pio
Motto Translation: Liberty under a pious King.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)