Sweetapple History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The 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 family

The 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 family

This 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 Variations

Flemish 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 family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Sir John Sweetapple of Surrey

Sweetapple Ranking

In Newfoundland, Canada, the name Sweetapple is the 589^th most popular surname with an estimated 75 people with that name. 1

Sweetapple 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:

Sweetapple Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Robert Sweetapple, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Swan" in 1866
Ann Sweetapple, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Swan" in 1866
Harriet Sweetapple, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Swan" in 1866
William Sweetapple, aged 21, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rangitikei" in 1884
Anne Sweetapple, aged 23, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rangitikei" in 1884
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Sweetapple (post 1700) +

John Sweetapple, English politician, Sheriff of Nottingham (1711-1712)
Matthew Sweetapple, who with his wife Elaine Sweetaple founded Sweetapple, a charitable brand, creative consultancy and production company in 2002 who have raised over one millions pounds
Danae Suzanna Sweetapple (b. 1967), Australian silver and two-time bronze medalist Paralympic swimmer
Kathy Sweetapple, Canadian artist from Newfoundland
Mr. John Sweetapple, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1711 to 1712

Citations +

The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)