Show ContentsHanscom History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Hanscom

What does the name Hanscom mean?

The ancestry of the name Hanscom dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the village of Hanscombe, in the county of Bedfordshire. The village name comes from an Old English personal name Han, and the Old English word camp, meaning "enclosed land."

Early Origins of the Hanscom family

The surname Hanscom was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), located in Southeast-central England, formerly part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Hanscom family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hanscom research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1255 and 1634 are included under the topic Early Hanscom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hanscom Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Hanscom have been found, including Handscomb, Hanscomb, Hanscombe, Handscombe, Handcome, Hanscom, Handscom, Hanscome and many more.

Early Notables of the Hanscom family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Alan Hanscombe, a prominent landholder

Hanscom Ranking

In the United States, the name Hanscom is the 14,307th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


Hanscom migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Hanscom, or a variant listed above:

Hanscom Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Albert Hanscom, aged 40, who arrived in America, in 1892
  • Catherine Hanscom, aged 58, who arrived in America, in 1892
  • E.W. Hanscom, aged 45, who arrived in America, in 1892
  • A. L. Hanscom, aged 45, who arrived in America from Liverpool, England, in 1897
Hanscom Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • E. D Hanscom, who arrived in America, in 1909
  • Edward E. Hanscom, aged 54, who arrived in America, in 1911
  • Charles Hanscom, aged 23, who arrived in America, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Hanscom (post 1700) +

  • Dick Hanscom, American golfer with a lifetime membership in the PGA of America, two-time Massachusetts Open Champion (1974 and 1975)
  • Andrew Jackson Hanscom (1828-1907), American pioneer in Omaha, Nebraska where he became a lawyer, politician and real estate broker
  • Laurence G. Hanscom (1906-1941), American pilot, aviation enthusiast, and State House reporter killed in a plane crash at Saugus, Massachusetts, eponym of Hanscom Air Force Base
  • Robert Oscar Hanscom, American newspaper editor who served with the USAAF during World War II


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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