Synnott History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Synnott family
The surname Synnott was first found in County Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman), founded by Vikings as Waesfjord, and located in Southeastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster. "Descended from an honourable stock, of Norman extraction. They were possessed of lands in Ireland from the time of the Invasion, and in the county where they first found footing." 1 They claim descent from the Marquis of Lusignan, whose descendants came into England, at or soon after the Norman Conquest.
Early History of the Synnott family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Synnott research. Another 191 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1344 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Synnott History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Synnott Spelling Variations
Church officials and medieval scribes often spelled early surnames as they sounded. This practice often resulted in many spelling variations of even a single name. Early versions of the name Synnott included: Sinnot, Sinnott, Sinnet, Sinnett, Sinot, Sinott and many more.
Early Notables of the Synnott family
More information is included under the topic Early Synnott Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Synnott family
Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Synnott: Edward Sinnott, who was on record in Torbay, Newfoundland in 1774; Dennis Sinnott, who arrived in New York in 1789; Moses Sinnot, who came to Vermont in 1854.
Contemporary Notables of the name Synnott (post 1700) +
- Stephen P. Synnott, American astronomer who discovered several moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
- Noel Synnott (b. 1951), Irish former footballer who played for League of Ireland XI in 1979 and the Republic of Ireland in 1978
- Michael Synnott (b. 1987), Irish professional footballer
- Sir Hilary Nicholas Hugh Synnott KCMG (b. 1945), British diplomat, Regional Coordinator of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Southern Iraq from 2003 to 2004
- Del Synnott (b. 1977), Irish actor, best known for playing Froderick in Princess of Thieves and DC Alan Carter in Murphy's Law
The Synnott 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: Sin not
Motto Translation: If not
Citations +
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.