Sweetnam Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Sweetnam is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived in the county of Cheshire, where they held a family seat at Swettenham. The surname Sweetnam is a habitation name that was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The surname originated as a means of identifying individuals from a particular area. In the Middle Ages people often assumed the name of the place that they originally lived as their surname during the course of travel.

Sweetnam Early Origins

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The surname Sweetnam was first found in Cheshire at Swettenham, a small village and civil parish. The place name was originally Suetenham in the late 12th century which literally meant "homestead or enclosure of a man called Sweta." Swettenham Hall is a country house located there dating back to the 17th century. The first Saxon Lord of Swettenham, Peter, had his estates confirmed by King William Rufus.

Sweetnam Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Sweetnam has been recorded under many different variations, including Swettenham, Swetenham, Sweetham, Swetnam and others.

Sweetnam Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sweetnam research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1500 and 1602 are included under the topic Early Sweetnam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sweetnam Early Notables (pre 1700)

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

The Great Migration

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Sweetnam or a variant listed above:

Sweetnam Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

George Sweetnam, aged 18, who emigrated to the United States from Skibbereen, in 1903
William Sweetnam, aged 27, who landed in America from Cork, Ireland, in 1910
James Sweetnam, aged 22, who settled in America from Kilkee, Ireland, in 1913
George Sweetnam, aged 20, who landed in America from Bally Dehob, Ireland, in 1913
William J. Sweetnam, aged 22, who emigrated to the United States from Mershin, Ireland, in 1920
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Sweetnam (post 1700)

Nancy Sweetnam (b. 1973), Canadian gold and two-time silver medalist medley swimmer
Skye Alexandra Sweetnam (b. 1988), Canadian singer-songwriter, actress, and music video director

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: Ex sudore vultus
Motto Translation: By the sweat of the face.

Sweetnam Family Crest Products

Citations

^ Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)

Other References

Burke, John Bernard Ed. The Roll of Battle Abbey. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Elster, Robert J. International Who's Who. London: Europa/Routledge. Print.
Hanks, Hodges, Mills and Room. The Oxford Names Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-19-860561-7).
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8).
Foster, Joseph. Dictionary of Heraldry Feudal Coats of Arms and Pedigrees. London: Bracken Books, 1989. Print. (ISBN 1-85170-309-8).
Holt, J.C. Ed. Domesday Studies. Woodbridge: Boydell, 1987. Print. (ISBN 0-85115-477-8).
Bowman, George Ernest. The Mayflower Reader A Selection of Articales from The Mayflower Descendent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. 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).
Leeson, Francis L. Dictionary of British Peerages. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1986. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-1121-5).
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The Sweetnam Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Sweetnam Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 29 November 2013 at 12:16.