Marrinan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Marrinan was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Marrinan family lived in a place that in Anglo-Norman French was named Mesnil Warin, which means domain of Warin. The Mesnil-Garin's were a well-known Norman family. The family name Marrinan was brought to England after the Norman Conquest, when William the Conqueror gave his friends and relatives most of the land formerly owned by Anglo-Saxon aristocrats. The Normans frequently used the name of their estate in Normandy as part of their name. They also imported a vast number of Norman French personal names, which largely replaced traditional Old English personal names among the upper and middle classes.

Early Origins of the Marrinan family

The surname Marrinan was first found in Cheshire where "Randulphus de Mesniwarin, who accompanied William the Conqueror, and received from him Warmingham, Peover, and thirteen other lordships in Cheshire, together with one in Norfolk. His descendants spread into many branches in Cheshire, and into northern counties." 1 2

Sir William Dugdale stated "the name of this celebrated family has been spelt in the astonishing number of one hundred and thirty-five forms, in old records and more modern writings."

Also in Cheshire, Ashton was an ancient family seat. "The manor [of Ashton] was held in the reign of Edward I. by the Mainwaring family, from whom it descended by female heirs to the Veres and Trussells." 3

However some of the family were found south in Devon. "In the reign of Elizabeth the manor [of Sidmouth] was leased to Sir William Perryan, and in that of James I. to Sir Christopher Mainwaring; it was subsequently sold to Sir Edmond Prideaux, with the exception of the great tithes, which were given to Wadham College." 3

And another branch of the family was found at Baddiley in Cheshire. "Baddiley Hall, once the noble residence of the Mainwarings, is now a farmhouse." 3

Early History of the Marrinan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Marrinan research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1515, 1586, 1589, 1616, 1623, 1625, 1634, 1653, 1656, 1660, 1661, 1689 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Marrinan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marrinan 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 Mainwaring, Maynwaring, Mannering and others.

Early Notables of the Marrinan family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Philip Mainwaring (1589-1661), Principal Secretary to the Lord Deputy of Ireland (1634) and English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1625 and 1661; Sir Thomas Mainwaring, 1st Baronet (1623-1689), Member of Parliament for Cheshire 1660; Sir John Mainwaring, 2nd Baronet (1656-1702), Member of Parliament for Cheshire 1689-1702; and Sir...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Marrinan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Marrinan family to Ireland

Some of the Marrinan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marrinan migration to the United States +

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 Marrinan or a variant listed above:

Marrinan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Delia Marrinan, aged 18, originally from Baltard, arrived in New York in 1898 aboard the ship "Teutonic" from Queenstown, Ireland 4

Marrinan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Margaret Marrinan, aged 16, originally from Ennistymon, Ireland, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Celtic" from Liverpool, England 4
Bridget Marrinan, aged 19, originally from Kilkee, Co. Clare, Ireland, arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Cedric" from Queenstown, Ireland 4
Thomas Marrinan, aged 25, originally from Kilfinora, Co. Clare, Ireland, arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Cedric" from Queenstown, Ireland 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Marrinan (post 1700) +

Corinne Marrinan (b. 1974), Irish American Academy Award-winning producer and screenwriter
Michael K. Marrinan, American politician, Delegate to North Dakota State Constitutional Convention from Walsh County, 1889 5
Padraig Marrinan (1906-1975), Irish painter

The Marrinan 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: Devant si je puis
Motto Translation: Foremost if I can.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html