Hanname is an ancient Norman name that arrived in
England after the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The Hanname family lived in
Hanham, Gloucestershire. Ancient records reveal the name Hanname is derived from the Old English roots
han, which means
rock, and
ham, which means
village or settlement.Early Origins of the Hanname family
The surname Hanname was first found in
Gloucestershire where they held a
family seat some say at the time of the
Norman Conquest by Duke William of
Normandy in 1066 A.D. Conjecturally, they are descended from Hunbald who held the lands of Hanham, now a suburb of Bristol, from Arnulf de Hesdin at the time of the taking of the
Domesday Book survey in 1086 A.D. However, it was not until the 12th century when the first person of the name was officially recorded, that being of Peter de Hanham, Lord of the Manor of Hanham.
Early History of the Hanname family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hanname research.
Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1667, 1559, 1547, 1554 and are included under the topic Early Hanname History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hanname 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 Hanham, Hannam, Haname, Hannan, Hannem, Hanhams, Hannams, Hanam, Hanams, Hannum and many more.
Early Notables of the Hanname family (pre 1700)
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hanname Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Hanname family to Ireland
Some of the Hanname family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 words (6 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 Hanname family to the New World and Oceana
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 Hanname or a variant listed above: Thomas Hanham who settled in Virginia in 1608; twelve years before the "Mayflower"; another Thomas settled in Virginia in 1773; John Hanam arrived in San Francisco, Cal. in 1850. In Newfoundland, James Hanham settled in Hants Harbour in 1829.