Dinneint History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Dinneint is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived in Downing, Oxfordshire. There is much speculation about the origin of this name as another source notes that the name could be from a "descendant of Dunn (dark brown); dweller at the hill or hill pasture" 1 and another source claims that the name could have been a nickname for someone with a "dark-brown complexion." 2 And another source claims the name is derived from "a location name in Worcestershire." 3

Early Origins of the Dinneint family

The surname Dinneint was first found in Oxfordshire where Richard Duning was the first record of the family found there in 1197 in the Feet of Fines. Later, Geoffrey Dounyng was listed in 1311. 4

Early records in Somerset revealed John Dounynne and Tonn Dunnyng, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Hervey Dunning, Cambridgeshire and Richard Duning, Oxfordshire. 6

And in Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes Dunnyng; Alicia Downyng and Johannes Downnyng. 6

"The Downings of Speckshall in the 17th century were a branch of the very ancient Essex family of the name, a member of which was made a Baronet in 1663, whilst another was founder of Downing College, Cambridge. The Downings have their home now in Ipswich and its neighbourhood. In South Elmham church there is, or was, a monument to Dorcas Downinge, bearing the date of 1638." 7

The Downing Baronetcy, of East Hatley in the County of Cambridge was created for Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet (c.1625-1684.) Downing Street in London is named after him.

Early History of the Dinneint family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dinneint research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1400, 1606, 1623, 1626, 1644, 1656, 1672, 1684, 1685, 1711, 1749 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Dinneint History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dinneint Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Dinneint family name include Downing, Doning, Douning, Duning and others.

Early Notables of the Dinneint family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir George Downing (1623-1684), 1st Baronet of East Hatley, an Anglo-Irish soldier, statesman, and diplomat, eponym of Downing Street in London; Sir George Downing, (c. 1656-1711), 2nd Baronet of East Hatley, Teller of the Receipt of the Exchequer; and Sir George Downing, (1685-1749), 3rd Baronet of East...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dinneint Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dinneint family to Ireland

Some of the Dinneint 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.

Migration of the Dinneint family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Dinneint surname or a spelling variation of the name include : Francis Downing, who came to Virginia in 1624; James Downing and Emanuel Downing who both settled in Salem in 1630; Richard Downing, who settled in Virginia in 1653.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.