Show ContentsHamblane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Hamblane

What does the name Hamblane mean?

Hamblane is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Hamblane family lived in Gloucestershire. Their name, however, is local reference of Old French derivation. It is stems from the Old French root hamel, indicating that the original bearer of the name once worked at an outlying farm which was dependent upon a main village. Several areas in Normandy are called Hamelin.

Early Origins of the Hamblane family

The surname Hamblane was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where "three of this name are entered as under-tenants: Hamelin homo Hugonis filii Baldrici in Lincolnshire; Hamelin holding of Roger de Montgomery in Sussex, and also mentioned in Devonshire; and Hamelin of Cornwall. 'Whether Hamelin of Devonshire and Hamelin of Cornwall were the same person, does not appear. In the latter county Hamelin held twenty-two manors under the Earl of Mortaine. He is supposed to have been the ancestor of the Trelawny family, and to have resided at Treloen, one of the manors described in the Survey as his property." 1

Early History of the Hamblane family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hamblane research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1105, 1129, 1148, 1202, 1275, 1533, 1534 and 1539 are included under the topic Early Hamblane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hamblane Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Hamelin, Hamelyn, Hamelen, Hamelyng, Hamelyne and others.

Early Notables of the Hamblane family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hamblane Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hamblane family to Ireland

Some of the Hamblane family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 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 Hamblane family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Hamblane or a variant listed above: James Hamlin, who came to Barnstable, MA in 1639; James, Joyce, Margaret, Phillip, Hamlin, who all settled in Virginia in 1653; Ezekiel Hamlin, who was on record in Boston in 1655.



  1. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3


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