The distinguished surname Ginner was first brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is derived from the Old French "engigneor" or "enginior," meaning "engineer, maker of military machines." During the 12th century, the term "ingeniator" was used to refer to men who worked as both master-mason and architect. [1]
The surname Ginner was first found in Yorkshire during the 12th century. The first recorded bearer of the name was Ailnoth Ingeniator, a military architect who served as surveyor of royal buildings in 1157. He supervised building operations at Windsor between 1166 and 1173, repaired Westminster Abbey after a fire, and headed the destruction of Framlingham and Walton Castles. [2]
Other early bearers of the name include Richard Lenginnur, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire between 1191 and 1197, and William Enginur, who was living in Suffolk in 1202. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Hugh le Ginnur in Oxfordshire and William le Engynur in Suffolk. [3]
William Joynier was Lord Mayor of London in 1239.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ginner research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1296, 1452, 1750, 1691, 1662, 1668, 1676, 1678, 1687, 1691, 1631, 1656, 1637, 1707, 1637, 1622, 1706 and 1622 are included under the topic Early Ginner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Ginner occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Jenner, Joyner, Joiner, Junor, Junior, Genner, Ginner, Genower and many more.
Notable amongst the family name during their early history was David Jenner (died 1691), an English clergyman and controversialist, educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. "Afterwards he became a fellow of Sidney Sussex College, and took the degree of M.A. by royal mandate in 1662, and that of B.D., also by royal mandate, in 1668. He was installed in the prebend of Netherbury in the cathedral church of Salisbury 28 June 1676, and was instituted on 15 Oct. 1678 to the rectory of Great Warley, Essex, which he resigned in or about October 1687. He was likewise chaplain to the king. He...
Another 138 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ginner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Ginner, or a spelling variation of the surname include: