Hungerforth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Hungerforth name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the market town and civil parish of Hungerford, a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, 9 miles (14.5 km) west of Newbury. It dates back to at least 1101-18 and was derived from the term "hunger ford", meaning "ford leading to poor land." 1

There is an old legend that "Hingwar the Dane" (Ivarr the Boneless, d. 873?) drowned accidentally while crossing the Kennet, and that the town was named after him. By 1241, it called itself a borough. And in the late 14th century John of Gaunt, medieval lord of the manor granted the people of the village the lucrative fishing rights on the River Kennet. 2

Early Origins of the Hungerforth family

The surname Hungerforth was first found in Gloucestershire at Down Ampney, a parish, in the union of Cirencester, chiefly in the hundred of Crowthorne and Minety. "The manor-house, a very interesting specimen of ancient architecture, was formerly one of the many seats of the Hungerford family, and is situated precisely on the border line of the two shires." 2

Farleigh-Hungerford in Somerset was another ancient family seat. " This place derives the adjunct to its name from the distinguished family of Hungerford, for more than 300 years lords of the manor, which was sold in 1370, with the hundred of Wellow, to Sir Thomas Hungerford, steward to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

The castle of Farleigh is of uncertain foundation; it was enlarged in 1378 by Sir Thomas Hungerford, with four towers, of which two are remaining" 2 A brass plate to the memory of Robert de Hungerford can be found in the church of Hungerford, Berkshire.

Early rolls show Robert de Hungerford at Winton, Hampshire in 1148; Edward de Hungrefford in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1200; and Thomas Hungerford in the Feet of Fines for Wiltshire in 1354. 3

The variant Huntingford likely originated at Huntingford, a tything, in the parish of Wotton-under-Edge, union of Dursley, Upper division of the hundred of Berkeley, W. division of the county of Gloucester. 2 4

Early History of the Hungerforth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hungerforth research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1330, 1378, 1397, 1449, 1503, 1540, 1541, 1567, 1607, 1611, 1614, 1627, 1632, 1645, 1657, 1660, 1673, 1685 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Hungerforth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hungerforth Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Hungerforth has undergone many spelling variations, including Hungerford, Hungerton, Huningford, Huntingford and others.

Early Notables of the Hungerforth family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Hungerford, first recorded Speaker of the House of Commons (1330-1397); Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford, Speaker of the House of Commons (1378-1449); Sir Anthony Hungerford of Black Bourton (1567-1627), a religious controversialist; Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford of Heytesbury (1503-1540), the first Englishman to be executed for homosexuality; Anthony Hungerford of Black Bourton (c. 1607-1657), an English Member of Parliament, supported the Royalist cause during the English Civil War; Anthony Hungerford (c.1614-1657), a Colonel in the English Parliamentary...
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hungerforth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hungerforth family to Ireland

Some of the Hungerforth family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hungerforth family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Hungerforth were among those contributors: Joan and Sarah Hungerford settled in Virginia in 1650; John Hungerton settled in Virginia in 1648; Thomas Hungerford settled in New London Conn in 1633..

The Hungerforth 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: Et Dieu mon appui
Motto Translation: And God my support.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)