Hampstead History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Hampstead

What does the name Hampstead mean?

The ancestors of the name Hampstead date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Hampstead family lived in Suffolk. The surname Hampstead belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Hampstead family

The surname Hampstead was first found in Sussex 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 Hampstead family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hampstead research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1172 and 1350 are included under the topic Early Hampstead History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hampstead Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Hampstead are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Hampstead include: Hemstead, Hampstead, Hempstead, Hemsted and others.

Early Notables of the Hampstead family

More information is included under the topic Early Hampstead Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hampstead migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Hampstead or a variant listed above:

Hampstead Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Hampstead, who arrived in Maryland in 1650 1

Sources +

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)