In the Scottish/English Borderlands of the medieval era, Etminston was first used as a surname. It was derived from the
personal name Edmond. Etminston is a
patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of
hereditary surnames. Many patronyms were formed by a son using his father's personal name as a surname. Others were taken from the names of important religious and secular figures. Members of the Etminston family settled in
Scotland, just following the
Norman Conquest of
England, in 1066.
Early Origins of the Etminston family
The surname Etminston was first found in
Edinburghshire, a former county, now part of the
Midlothian council area where they held a
family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Queen Margaret of
Scotland. They take their name from the place name Edmondstone, the tun of Eadmund, near Edinburgh. The name may have been derived from Aedmund
filius Forn, one of the witnesses to a charter by Thor filius Swani
(c. 1150)
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Early History of the Etminston family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Etminston research.
Another 325 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1070, 1560, 1607, 1659, 1622, 1627, 1712 and 1654 are included under the topic Early Etminston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Etminston Spelling Variations
Scribes in the Middle Ages simply spelled according to sound. The result is an enormous number of
spelling variations among names that evolved in that era. Etminston has been spelled Edmondson, Edmonson, Edminson, Edminston, Edmiston, Edmeston, Edmondon and many more.
Early Notables of the Etminston family (pre 1700)
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Etminston Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Etminston family to Ireland
Some of the Etminston family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 171 words (12 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 Etminston family to the New World and Oceana
Most of the Boernician-Scottish families who came to North America settled on the eastern seaboard of what would become the United States and Canada. Families who wanted a new order stayed south in the
War of Independence, while those who were still loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, the ancestors of these families have gone on to rediscover their heritage through
Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Etminston or a variant listed above: Francis Edmonson arrived in Philadelphia in 1796; followed by George Edmonson in 1856; Robert Edmonton arrived in Philadelphia in 1853.
The Etminston 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: Virtus auget honorem
Motto Translation: Virtue increases honour.