Elchintone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Elchintone

What does the name Elchintone mean?

The name Elchintone was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Elchintone family lived in Lincolnshire, at the Manor of Elkington, near Louth.

Early Origins of the Elchintone family

The surname Elchintone was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Elkington, and were conjecturally descended from William de Percy who held his lands from Ivo Tailbois, a tenant in chief recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. 1 At this time the village of Elkington (Alchinton) consisted of one church, one chapel, a mill and a mill site. Since that time the village has become two hamlets, North Elkington and South Elkington which both survive today.

In early rolls the "k" was often dropped as in William de Elinton who was listed in Huntingdonshire in 1206 and John de Ettington who listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1274 for Lincolnshire. 2

Early History of the Elchintone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Elchintone research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1600 is included under the topic Early Elchintone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Elchintone Spelling Variations

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 Elkinton, Alkington, Elchington and others.

Early Notables of the Elchintone family

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

Migration of the Elchintone family

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 Elchintone or a variant listed above: William Elkinton, who settled in Virginia in 1637; Thomas Elkington, a bonded passenger who arrived in America in 1736; George Elkington, who was on record in New Jersey in 1738.

Sources +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)