Show ContentsBanken History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Banken

What does the name Banken mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Banken comes from the family having resided in Norfolk.

However, one source notes the name was originally Welsh "derived from the name of an ancestor. —Ab-Eignon' (Welsh), i.e. 'the son of Eignon' or 'Ennion.' Robert ap Eignon had for his son Robert Baynham, of Chorewall, in the forest of Dean. Henceforward the family were so known. The name looks wonderfully English and local, but, as shown, is not so." 1

Early Origins of the Banken family

The surname Banken was first found in the county of Norfolk. Baynham Hall is a 17th century manor house located in Michaelchurch-On-Arrow, Gladestry, Powys, Wales. We do know that Hugh Lloyd purchased Baynham Hall in about 1830, but as far as who originally had the manor house built remains a mystery.

John Bankyn or Banekyne (fl. 1382), was an "Augustinian friar and opponent of Wycliffe, born in London and educated in the Augustinian monastery of that city and afterwards at Oxford, where he attained the degree of doctor of divinity. " 2

Hugh Benham or Hugo Benhyem (d. 1282), was Bishop of Aberdeen and succeeded Richard Pottock in the see in 1272. 2

Cadugan ap Eynon was listed in Cheshire in 1285 and later Iorworth ap Egnon was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1287. 3

Early History of the Banken family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Banken research. Another 212 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1458, 1476, 1497, 1500, 1501, 1514, 1516, 1532, 1536, 1543, 1546, 1557, 1565, 1582, 1593, 1602, 1606, 1611, 1628, 1629, 1664, 1681, 1738 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Banken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Banken Spelling Variations

Banken 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: Baynham, Bayneham, Bainham, Banham, Banam and others.

Early Notables of the Banken family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Baynham (d. 1500), Constable of St Briavel's Castle. His descendant, Sir Christopher Baynham (d.1557) was the first of the family to hold Clearwell, a village and former ancient manor in the Forest of Dean, West Gloucestershire.James Bainham (d. 1532), was an English martyr, who according to Foxe, was a son of Sir Alexander Bainham, who was Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1497, 1501, and 1516, though his name does not occur in any of the pedigrees of the family. James was sentenced as a relapsed heretic and burned in Smithfield on 30 April...
Another 106 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Banken Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Banken family to Ireland

Some of the Banken 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.


Banken migration to the United States +

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 Bankens to arrive on North American shores:

Banken Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Gert Banken, who arrived in America in 1845 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Banken (post 1700) +

  • Charles Thurman Banken Jr., American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1st District, 1974 5


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. 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)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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