Show ContentsHuntmant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Huntmant is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was given to a person who was a hunter. The surname Huntmant is a compound of the Old English word hunta, which means huntsman, or the Old English word hunte, which means the act of hunting, and the word mann, which is used either in the sense of hunter, or servant of the hunter. 1

Early Origins of the Huntmant family

The surname Huntmant was first found in Suffolk, where one of first listings of the family was John Hunteman who was listed there in the Feet of Fines of 1219. Later, John Hunteman or Huntesman was registered in 1347 and 1348, again in Suffolk. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included Walter Hunteman, Cambridgeshire, and later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls listed Simon Huntman. 3

Early History of the Huntmant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Huntmant research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379, 1565, 1650, 1704 and 1776 are included under the topic Early Huntmant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Huntmant 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 Huntmant family name include Huntman, Hunteman, Huntsman, Hunterman and others.

Early Notables of the Huntmant family

Distinguished members of the family include Benjamin Huntsman, (1704-1776), English inventor of cast steel, born of German parentage in Lincolnshire in 1704. He became a skilful mechanic, and eventually started in business as a clockmaker in Doncaster. He also made and repaired locks, jacks, and...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Huntmant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Huntmant family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, 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. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Huntmant or a variant listed above: William Huntsman settled in New Castle, Delaware in 1852.



The Huntmant 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: Esto vigilans
Motto Translation: Be vigilant.


  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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