Elkingtum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Elkingtum

What does the name Elkingtum mean?

The name Elkingtum was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Elkingtum family lived in Lincolnshire, at the Manor of Elkington, near Louth.

Early Origins of the Elkingtum family

The surname Elkingtum 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 Elkingtum family

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

Elkingtum Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Elkingtum are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Elkingtum include Elkinton, Alkington, Elchington and others.

Early Notables of the Elkingtum family

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

Migration of the Elkingtum family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Elkingtum, 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)