Henchum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Henchum

What does the name Henchum mean?

The ancient roots of the Henchum family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Henchum 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 Henchum family

The surname Henchum 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 Henchum family

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

Henchum Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Henchum has appeared include Handscomb, Hanscomb, Hanscombe, Handscombe, Handcome, Hanscom, Handscom, Hanscome and many more.

Early Notables of the Henchum family

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

Migration of the Henchum family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Henchum arrived in North America very early: Thomas Hanscombe, who settled in Salem, Massachusetts in 1635; Robert Hanscome, who sailed to Virginia in 1643; and Elizabeth Henchombe to Virginia in 1719..