Quintan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Quintan reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Quintan family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Quintan is based on St. Quinton, a third century missionary in Gaul. 1 Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries.

"A family of Quentin - the Quentins of Coupigny - still exists in Normandy. They came from Brittany, having expatriated themselves during the troublous times of Duchess Anne, and settled at Morigny, near Coutances, about 1450. Roger Quentin's claim to rank with the older nobility of the Duchy was recognized and confirmed in 1605 by the Cour des Aides of Rouen." 2

Harpham in the East Riding of Yorkshire was an ancient home for the family. "The church is the burial-place of the family of St. Quintin, whose founder came over with the Conqueror; their pedigree, from 1080 to 1777, showing an uninterrupted succession of twenty-eight generations in the male line, is beautifully represented in stained glass in the windows. On the western side of the churchyard are vestiges of the ancient family mansion and fish-ponds." 3

Early Origins of the Quintan family

The surname Quintan was first found in Cumberland where "the first trace of the name that I have met with is in the reign of Coeur de Lion, when Richard de Quintine was Abbot of Furness in Cumberland. But the notices of it soon become numerous, and appear in at least half a dozen counties. Richard Quintin held a knight's fee of the Earl of Hereford in Wiltshire." 2

So as to underscore the Norman heritage of this name we found: "Sir Herbert de St. Quintin, whose name appears on the Roll [of Battle Abbey], came from Lower Picardy, where the chief town is called St. Quintin." 4

Branches were later found in Essex and Dorset. Another branch of the family was found in the parish of Hornby in the North Riding of Yorkshire from ancient times.

"Hornby Castle, anciently the seat of the family of St. Quintin, and now belonging to his Grace the Duke of Leeds, is a spacious mansion in different styles of architecture, containing superb apartments, and commanding a fine view of the valley of Bedale." 3

Another early branch of the family was found at Lowthorp in the East Riding of Yorkshire. At one time an ancient hall there was held by the family but was taken down in 1826. 3

"Quentin became a somewhat popular personal name in Scotland, and has been immortalized by Walter Scott." 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had entries for: Richard Quintine, Wiltshire; John de St. Quintino, Wiltshire; Adam Quintin, Huntingdonshire; and Robert Quintyn, Norfolk. 5

Early History of the Quintan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Quintan research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1090, 1660, 1695, 1698 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Quintan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Quintan Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Quintan has been recorded under many different variations, including Quinton, Quinten, Quintin, Quintyne, St. Quinton and others.

Early Notables of the Quintan family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir William St. Quinton (ca. 1660-1723), English politician, born at Harpham in the East Riding of Yorkshire. He was the eldest son of William St. Quintin, who died in the lifetime of his father. "Having succeeded his...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Quintan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Quintan migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Quintans were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Quintan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Pedro Quintan, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1860 6

Quintan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Quintan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Quintan, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)