Hounsley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Hounsley

What does the name Hounsley mean?

The name Hounsley was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. It comes from the Germanic personal name Ansell composed of the elements ans, which means god, and helm, which means protection or helmet. 1

Early Origins of the Hounsley family

The surname Hounsley was first found in the English county of Kent where they were granted lands shortly after the Norman Conquest by King William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. The family is believed to be descended from Pierre Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, Ansell being the abbreviation adopted by most branches of this noble Norman family who accompanied the Conqueror into England.

Saint Anselm of Aosta (c. 1033-1109), was a theologian, Abbot of Bec, and Archbishop of Canterbury. He was "born at or near Aosta about the year 1033, or two years before the death of Cnut, king of England, and two years before William the Conqueror became duke of Normandy. William the Conqueror received his death-wound in 1087. In the presence of Anselm we are told that he who to most men seemed harsh and terrible became so mild that bystanders looked on with amazement. " 2

Early History of the Hounsley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hounsley research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1660, 1689 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Hounsley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hounsley Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Hounsley include Ansell, Ancell, Ancelle, Anselm, Anselme, Anstrell and many more.

Early Notables of the Hounsley family

Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hounsley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hounsley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet

Mr. William Hounsley, British settler convicted in Devon, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Atlantic" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 3

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships