Partingdown History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Partingdown name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the region of Partington. Partingdown is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Partingdown family

The surname Partingdown was first found in Cheshire at Partington, a township, in the parish of Bowdon, union of Altrincham, hundred of Bucklow. 1 The place name dates back to at least 1220 when it was first listed as Pattingham. Literally, it means "homestead of the family or followers of a man called P(e)atta," from the Old English personal name + "inga" or "ing" + "ham." 2 "This surname is well known in South Lancashire." 3

"The Partingtons are best represented in the Manchester district. There is a Cheshire township thus called. There are also Partingtons in Worcestershire." 4

Early History of the Partingdown family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Partingdown research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Partingdown History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Partingdown 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 Partingdown has undergone many spelling variations, including Partington, Partingtone and others.

Early Notables of the Partingdown family

More information is included under the topic Early Partingdown Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Partingdown 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 Partingdown were among those contributors: Hugh Partington who settled in Maryland in 1697; James, John, Richard and William Partington all arrived in Philadelphia between 1814 and 1856.

Citations +

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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.