Heminge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

The story of the Heminge family stretches back through time to the Viking settlers who populated the rugged shores of Scotland in the Medieval era. The Heminge name comes from a place named by these Vikings and was used by a family who lived in the Orkneys, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Heminge family

The surname Heminge was first found in the Orkneys, where "Hemming was one of the witnesses to the charter by King Duncan 11 to the monks of S. Cuthbert in 1094, the earliest Scottish charter." 1

It is presumed that some of the family moved south to England, as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Henry Hemmeng, Suffolk; John Hemming, Oxfordshire; and John Hemmyng, Kent. 2

The Latin form of the name Hemmingus was listed in the Domesday Book. 3

Hemming (fl. 1096), was an early English chronicler and was sub-prior of Worcester during the episcopate of Bishop Wulstan (d. 1096), at whose request he compiled the chartulary of the church of Worcester, still extant in Hemming's autograph in MS. Cotton. 4

Hemming de Welega was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Essex in 1166 and later, Walter, William Hemming was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Somerset in 1170. 5

"Hemming or Heming, a name having its present home in the Evesham district, is an Anglo - Saxon Clan name. It was well known in Worcester in the 17th century, Richard Heming being the name of the mayor of the city in 1627 and 1657, and John Heming in 1677 (G.); the name is still in that city. One of the name was buried in Tenbury church in 1691 (N.). It is also now represented in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire, sometimes in the form of Hemmings." 6

Early History of the Heminge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heminge research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1566, 1602, 1623, 1630, 1653, 1677, 1684, 1695, 1700 and 1945 are included under the topic Early Heminge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heminge Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, no real standards were established to judge the accuracy of spelling and translation. They were done mostly by ear and intuition, and enormous numbers of spelling variations were the unsurprising result. Heminge has appeared as Hemming, Heming, Hemming, Hemmings, Hemyng and others.

Early Notables of the Heminge family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

John Heminges (sometimes spelled Heming or Heminge) (1566-1630), an actor in the King's Men, the playing company for which William Shakespeare wrote. He was also co-editor of the First Folio, the coll...
William Heminges (1602-c.1653), also Hemminges, Heminge, and other variants, was a playwright and theatrical figure of the Caroline period and the ninth child and third son of John Heminges, the afore...
In the early twentieth century, three ships were named SS Heminge (1945), the last of which was built by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Co, Troon, Ayrshire

Migration of the Heminge family

North America was far from Britain's oppressive monarchy. There, the Scottish found land and freedom, and many even the opportunity to pay back England in the American War of Independence. This brave heritage survives today largely in Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Heminge family in North America: Samuel Hemming settled in New England in 1698; Thomas Heming settled in Virginia in 1654; Joe Heming settled in Virginia in 1635.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.