Show ContentsHeningthon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Heningthon family

The surname Heningthon was first found in Norfolk where the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Hevingham, held by Godric, a Norman noble, from Walter Gifford who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Godric had a priest who also held 4 acres of the holding for which he promised to sing three masses in any one week.

Walter de Hemingford or Hemingburgh (fl. 1300), also called Walter de Gisburn, chronicler, was an Austin canon, and afterwards sub-prior of St. Mary's, Gisburn, Yorkshire. "There is no doubt that Hemingburgh is the correct form of the name; it is the one given in Lansdowne MS. 239, which is one of the earliest and best copies of the chronicle, in the Register of Archbishop Corbridge, and in a volume of sermons presented by him to his priory church." 1

Early History of the Heningthon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heningthon research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1414, 1471, 1547, 1578, 1603, 1619 and 1674 are included under the topic Early Heningthon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heningthon Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Heveningham, Heningham, Henington, Heningthon, Hemington, Hemmington, Hennington, Henningham, Heningford, Henningford, Hemmingford and many more.

Early Notables of the Heningthon family

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

Migration of the Heningthon family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Heningthon name or one of its variants: John Hemmington, who came to Virginia in 1587; S. Hemmington, who came to San Francisco in 1851; and Hermon Hemington, who arrived in Kansas in 1900.



  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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