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Today's generation of the Quintin family bears a name that was brought to England by the wave of emigration that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from St. Quinton, a third century missionary in Gaul. 1 Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries.
"A family of Quentin - the Quentins of Coupigny - still exists in Normandy. They came from Brittany, having expatriated themselves during the troublous times of Duchess Anne, and settled at Morigny, near Coutances, about 1450. Roger Quentin's claim to rank with the older nobility of the Duchy was recognized and confirmed in 1605 by the Cour des Aides of Rouen." 2
Harpham in the East Riding of Yorkshire was an ancient home for the family. "The church is the burial-place of the family of St. Quintin, whose founder came over with the Conqueror; their pedigree, from 1080 to 1777, showing an uninterrupted succession of twenty-eight generations in the male line, is beautifully represented in stained glass in the windows. On the western side of the churchyard are vestiges of the ancient family mansion and fish-ponds." 3
The surname Quintin was first found in Cumberland where "the first trace of the name that I have met with is in the reign of Coeur de Lion, when Richard de Quintine was Abbot of Furness in Cumberland. But the notices of it soon become numerous, and appear in at least half a dozen counties. Richard Quintin held a knight's fee of the Earl of Hereford in Wiltshire." 2
So as to underscore the Norman heritage of this name we found: "Sir Herbert de St. Quintin, whose name appears on the Roll [of Battle Abbey], came from Lower Picardy, where the chief town is called St. Quintin." 4
Branches were later found in Essex and Dorset. Another branch of the family was found in the parish of Hornby in the North Riding of Yorkshire from ancient times.
"Hornby Castle, anciently the seat of the family of St. Quintin, and now belonging to his Grace the Duke of Leeds, is a spacious mansion in different styles of architecture, containing superb apartments, and commanding a fine view of the valley of Bedale." 3
Another early branch of the family was found at Lowthorp in the East Riding of Yorkshire. At one time an ancient hall there was held by the family but was taken down in 1826. 3
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had entries for: Richard Quintine, Wiltshire; John de St. Quintino, Wiltshire; Adam Quintin, Huntingdonshire; and Robert Quintyn, Norfolk. 5
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Quintin research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1090, 1660, 1695, 1698 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Quintin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Quinton, Quinten, Quintin, Quintyne, St. Quinton and others.
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
In France, the name Quintin is the 1,233rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,553 people with that name. 6
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Quintin or a variant listed above:
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: