Kerrington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Kerrington is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived at Carenton, a port town, and Chateau in Normandy. 1 It is thought that the first of the name in Britain was Norman Hamo de Carenton of Normandy, who came to Britain as a young attendant to his uncle at Hastings in 1066 A.D., and was rewarded for his services by grants of land in county of Chester.

Carrington, or Primrose is a parish in Edinburghshire, Scotland containing with the villages of Thornton and Whitefaugh and Carrington. 2

Early Origins of the Kerrington family

The surname Kerrington was first found in Cheshire at Carrington, a township and chapelry, in the parish of Bowdon, union of Altrincham, hundred of Bucklow. "The manor was held for more than three centuries by a family of the same name." 3

"A moiety of the manor [at Ashton upon Mersey] was held for many generations by the Carringtons, and passed by a female heir of that family to the Booths." 3

There are two other places named Carrington in Britain: in Lincolnshire which was "first recorded in 1812, and named after Robert Smith, Lord Carrington (1752-1838), who had lands there"; 4 and in Nottinghamshire where "this village, which is of recent origin, consists partly of handsome villas, occupied by merchants and lace manufacturers, who have warehouses in Nottingham." 3

Now part of Greater Manchester, Carrington dates back to the 12th century when it was first listed as Carrintona and possibly meant "estate associated with a man called Cara," from the Old English personal name + "-ing" + "tun." 4

Some of the first record of the family include: Thomas de Karington who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1219; and John de Carrington found in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1294. 5

In Scotland, the name came from the "lands of Carrington in East Lothian. Wautier de Keringtone, parson of the church of Dunnotre, rendered homage in 1296 [to King Edward I of England]." 6

Early History of the Kerrington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kerrington research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1219, 1294, 1296, 1796 and 1868 are included under the topic Early Kerrington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kerrington Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Kerrington are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Kerrington include: Carrington, Carington, Kerrington, Karrington, Kerington, Carinton and many more.

Early Notables of the Kerrington family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kerrington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kerrington family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Kerrington or a variant listed above: Michael Carrington who settled in Virginia in 1652 with his brother Samuel; Thomas Carrington settled in New England in 1632; Edward Carrington settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1632.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)