Show ContentsHoneysett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Honeysett is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Honeysett family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Honeysett family lived in Somerset, at the manor of Hunecote or Hunnecota, from where they took their name.

Early Origins of the Honeysett family

The surname Honeysett was first found in Somerset where conjecturally they are descended from William, a Norman noble who was a subtenant of Roger de Courseulles, and was Lord of the manor of Hunecote or Hunnecota, and was recorded in the Domesday Book taken in the year 1086, and the manor is recorded as being "two nuns, as a royal grant."

The township of Huncoat in Lancashire also derived its name from the ancient family. "This was a royal manor in the reign of the Confessor, who, in the great survey, is recorded to have held two carucates in 'Hunnicott.' James de Huncote, and John his son, occur in the reign of Edward I.; the Hall was occupied by this family." [1]

Early History of the Honeysett family

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

Honeysett Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Honycott, Hunnicott, Huncote, Honicote, Honeycott, Honeycutt, Hunnicot and many more.

Early Notables of the Honeysett family

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

Migration of the Honeysett family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Honeysett or a variant listed above: William Huncote settled in Virginia in 1635.


Contemporary Notables of the name Honeysett (post 1700) +

  • John Honeysett (1938-2018), English greyhound trainer, UK trainers championship winner in 1979
  • Troy Honeysett, Australian actor and dancer, known for his time with Australian Dance Theatre and his "ferocious athleticism" on stage
  • Martin Honeysett (1943-2015), British cartoonist and illustrator, born in Hereford [2]
  • Laurence Cane- Honeysett, British musician, producer, and music journalist
  • Clyde Honeysett Purnell (1877-1934), English gold medalist footballer at the 1908 Summer Olympics


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Martin Honeysett. (Retrieved 2011, June 17) Martin Honeysett. Retrieved from http://www.martinhoneysett.com/


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