Sweetapple History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe distinguished surname Sweetapple emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Sweetapple family originally lived near a particularly prominent sweet apple tree. The surname Sweetapple belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. However, the name Sweetapple may in some cases be a nickname that was applied as a term of affection or was given to someone who was fond of eating apples. Early Origins of the Sweetapple familyThe surname Sweetapple was first found in Surrey where they held a family seat from very ancient times as Lords of the manor of Sweetapple, some say before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 A.D. The original Flemish name was believed to be Zoetappel. Early History of the Sweetapple familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sweetapple research. Another 33 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1694 is included under the topic Early Sweetapple History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Sweetapple Spelling VariationsFlemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Sweetaple, Sweetapple, Swetaple, Swetapple and others. Early Notables of the Sweetapple familyProminent in the family at this time was
Sweetapple RankingIn Newfoundland, Canada, the name Sweetapple is the 589th most popular surname with an estimated 75 people with that name. 1
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: Sweetapple Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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