Show ContentsUnwins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Unwins family

The surname Unwins was first found in Essex, but forms of Unwine, Unwyne, and Unwyn, occurred in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hunts, and Lincolnshire, in the 13th century. 1

Another source claims the name could have dated back to Saxon times and in this case, the name literally meant "un-friendly" having derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "unwine" or "Unwene." 2

And another source claims that the name was an old personal name, the same as Onwen. 3

Whatever the origin, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had a multitude of listings and early spellings of the family: Philip Unwyne, Huntingdonshire; William Unwine, Cambridgeshire; William Onwinne, Oxfordshire; Reginald Hunwyn, Cambridgeshire; and Simon Unnewyn, Lincolnshire. 4

Early History of the Unwins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Unwins research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Unwins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Unwins Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Unwin, Unwyn, Unwynn, Unwine and others.

Early Notables of the Unwins family

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

Migration of the Unwins family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: John Unwin settled in Virginia in 1721; Francis Unwin settled in New England in 1770.


Contemporary Notables of the name Unwins (post 1700)+

  • Thomas Unwins (1782-1857), English painter, born at Hermes Hill, Pentonville, the youngest of the four children of Thomas Uwins
  • David Unwins (1780-1837), English medical writer, born in London, the second son of Thomas Uwins (d. 1806), clerk in the bank of England, brother of Thomas Uwins


  1. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  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)


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