Origins Available: English,
Irish
The Enis history begins in
Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern
England. Quite distinct from
Devon, the adjoining county,
Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Enis history began here. The manner in which
hereditary surnames arose is interesting.
Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored
patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used
local surnames. The Enis family originally lived in Cornwall, at the village of
Ennis. The place-name is Gaelic in origin, and derives from an Anglicization of the
personal name Angus.Early Origins of the Enis family
The surname Enis was first found in
Cornwall where they held a
family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the
Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
Early History of the Enis family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Enis research.
Another 247 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1312, 1620, 1651, 1611, 1697, 1660 and are included under the topic Early Enis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Enis Spelling Variations
Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into
England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly,
spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of
Cornwall and the rest of
England. The Cornish spoke a unique
Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Ennis, Ennys, Enys, Eynes and others.
Early Notables of the Enis family (pre 1700)
Another 22 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Enis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Enis family to Ireland
Some of the Enis family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 226 words (16 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Enis family to the New World and Oceana
Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Enis or a variant listed above:
Enis Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Sara Enis, aged 27, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Spree" from Bremen, Germany [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
"New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6TV-KM7 : 6 December 2014), Sara Enis, 15 Jun 1893; citing departure port Bremen, arrival port New York, ship name Spree, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). - Elisabeth Enis, aged 1, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Spree" from Bremen, Germany [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
"New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6TV-KM4 : 6 December 2014), Elisabeth Enis, 15 Jun 1893; citing departure port Bremen, arrival port New York, ship name Spree, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
Enis Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- William Enis, aged 38, arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Allianca" from Canal Zone & Haiti [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
"New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6G5-P36 : 6 December 2014), William Enis, 05 Apr 1921; citing departure port Canal Zone & Haiti, arrival port New York, ship name Allianca, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
Contemporary Notables of the name Enis (post 1700)
- George Hunter Enis (b. 1936), former American collegiate and professional football quarterback who played from 1960 to 1962
- Shalonda Enis (b. 1974), American former professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics and Charlotte Sting of the WNBA
- Cleon William "Bill" Enis (1934-1973), American sportscaster from Tarrant County, Texas
- Curtis D. Enis (b. 1976), former American running back in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons (1998-2001)
The Enis Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Virtute et valore
Motto Translation: By virtue and valour.