Honea History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The surname Honea is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It is derived from the Old English "hunig," meaning "honey," and was used to refer to someone who gathered or sold honey, or to someone who kept bees. Alternatively, Honea was a Middle English term of endearment, meaning "sweetheart" or "darling," and may have evolved from nickname to surname during the Middle Ages. In this case, the name was derived from the Old English word hunig, meaning "honey." 1

Early Origins of the Honea family

The surname Honea was first found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire where Geoffrey Hony was recorded in 1275. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 listed Richard Honey in Cambridgeshire and in Sussex, Robert le Hony was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1296. 1

"In Sussex this name has been corrupted from the local Holney." 2

Early History of the Honea family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Honea research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1279, 1296, 1771, 1776, 1788, 1842, 1855 and 1875 are included under the topic Early Honea History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Honea Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Honea family name include Honey, Hony, Honea and others.

Early Notables of the Honea family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Honea Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Honea Ranking

In the United States, the name Honea is the 7,829^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Honea family to Ireland

Some of the Honea family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 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 Honea family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Honea surname or a spelling variation of the name include: James Honey, who settled in Virginia in 1704; as did Mary Hony in 1724; John Honey, who immigrated to Annapolis, Maryland in 1726; George Honey, who was naturalized in Maryland in 1753.

Contemporary Notables of the name Honea (post 1700) +

Thomas Carlton Honea (b. 1884), American prominent surgeon from Texas
Robert Honea (b. 1972), American professional baseball player
Kenneth Honea, American Associate Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Northern Illinois University
Heather Honea, American Assistant Professor of Marketing at San Diego State University

The Honea Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Progredere ne regredere
Motto Translation: Advance, do not recede.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/