| ![Show Contents]() Hamlet History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England Early Origins of the Hamlet familyThe surname Hamlet was first found in Sussex. The name Hamlet, like many surnames, began as a personal name, in this case a variation on the more common name Hammond or as "the son of Hamon." 1 The surname was derived from Haimo, a Germanic shortened form of any of several names beginning with "haim," an old German word meaning "home." The fact that the first bearer of the name chose a personal name for his surname may indicate that he was related to someone of the name or that it was the name of the lord to whom he owed allegiance, or it may have been an arbitrary choice. The name was also frequented in Cheshire and Lancashire as the Wills at Chester will attest with the entry of Ellen Hamlett, of Roby, Lancashire in 1685. 1 Early History of the Hamlet familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hamlet research. Another 35 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1568 is included under the topic Early Hamlet History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Hamlet Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Hamlet, Hamlett, Hamblet, Hamblett and others. Early Notables of the Hamlet familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Hamlet RankingIn the United States, the name Hamlet is the 8,830th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
| Hamlet migration to the United States | + |
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Hamlet or a variant listed above:
Hamlet Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Hamlet, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1634 3
- William Hamlet, who landed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1651 3
Hamlet Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John Hamlet, who landed in New York in 1835 3
- Noah Hamlet, who landed in Arkansas in 1884 3
Hamlet Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Malcolm Hamlet, aged 23, arrived in New York City, New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Toronto" from Hull, England 4
- M. B. W. Hamlet, aged 23, originally from Oxford, England, arrived in New York City, New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Toronto" from Hull, England 4
- John Hamlet, aged 21, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Saxonia" from Liverpool, England 4
- Charles S. Hamlet, aged 24, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Susquehanna" from Havre, France 4
| Hamlet migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Hamlet Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- John Hamlet, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
| Hamlet migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Hamlet Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
| Hamlet migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Hamlet Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Nathaniel Hamlet, aged 27, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
| Contemporary Notables of the name Hamlet (post 1700) | + |
- Norm Hamlet, American steel guitarist, member of Merle Haggard's The Strangers
- Thomas Hamlet Averett (1800-1855), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia (1849-1853)
- Hamlet D. Scrantom, American politician, Mayor of Rochester, New York, 1860 6
- Hamlet O. Catenaccio, American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly, 1941-46 (New York County 18th District 1941-44, New York County 16th District 1945-46); Defeated, 1940; Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1956 7
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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