Show ContentsDaintree History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Daintree has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in Daventry, a town in Northants (now Northampton). The place-name was rendered as Daventrei in the Domesday Book, 1 a census and survey taken by William the Conqueror in 1086. The place-name Daventry is derived from the Old English personal name Dafa, and means "tree of a man called Dafa, Dafa's tree." It is interesting to note that the pronunciation of the placename Daventry is not as it would appear. Locals pronounce Daventry as Daintree, giving rise to the many variations of this name that are found. Another source has a different understanding about the origin of the place name. "The British name of this place, Dwy-Avon-Tre, 'the town of two Avons,' from which its present appellation is derived, originated in its situation between the source of the river Leam, which falls into the Western Avon, and the river Nene, anciently styled the Aufona. " 2

Early Origins of the Daintree family

The surname Daintree was first found in Northampton at Daventry, a market-town, a parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Fawsley.

Early History of the Daintree family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Daintree research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1140, 1296, 1349, 1373 and 1400 are included under the topic Early Daintree History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Daintree Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Daintree have been found, including Daventry, Daintry, Dainty, Dantry, Dantye and others.

Early Notables of the Daintree family

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


New Zealand Daintree migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Daintree Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • J O Daintree, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Norman Morrison" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, Via Wellington and Lyttleton in 1854 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Daintree (post 1700) +

  • Richard Daintree (1831-1878), English geologist, born at Hemingford Abbotts, Huntingdonshire; he emigrated to Australia due to his poor health in 1852 to achieve his success 4


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020


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