Monny'pennay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Monny'pennay

What does the name Monny'pennay mean?

The name Monny'pennay came to England with the ancestors of the Monny'pennay family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Monny'pennay family lived in Fife. Moneypenny is a compound name composed of two elements, the Old English moning, meaning money, and the Old English pening, meaning penny. Moneypenny originated as a nickname to identify a rich man or may have been ironically used to describe a poor man. Another derivation, which is equally valid in certain cases, indicates that Moneypenny is a local name adapted from the place called Magnepeigne in Normandy.

Early Origins of the Monny'pennay family

The surname Monny'pennay was first found in Fife where they were granted lands by the King of Scotland.

Early History of the Monny'pennay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Monny'pennay research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1200, 1296, 1450, 1617 and 1620 are included under the topic Early Monny'pennay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Monny'pennay Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Moneypenny, Manypenny, Monypenny and others.

Early Notables of the Monny'pennay family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Monny'pennay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Monny'pennay family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Monny'pennay or a variant listed above: Clemens Moneypenny settled in Pennsylvania in 1773.

The Monny'pennay 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: Imperat aequor
Motto Translation: He rules the sea.