Surname Flemyne - Meaning and Origin

Flemyne: What does the surname Flemyne mean?

The last name Flemyne is of French origin. It is ultimately derived from the Old French name “Flamen”, which means “flame”, “fire”, or “torch”. The name likely began as a nickname, given to someone who was known to be fiery, passionate, or energetic. Over time, this name evolved into the variant spelling Flemyne.

The name Flemyne is also sometimes linked to the French fleur-de-lis, a stylized lily flower with three petals which has been associated with French royalty since the twelth century. The flower has also been used on royal shields and flags, making it a prominent symbol of French royalty and power.

Flemyne is an uncommon surname, but it can still be found as an ancestral name in many places in France. While the exact origin of the Flemyne surname is uncertain, it likely represents a person who was proud or confident enough to take on a name associated with royalty and nobility.

Flemyne: Where does the name Flemyne come from?

The last name Flemyne is commonly found in Canada, Australia, and the United States.

The earliest origins of the name trace back to Normandy, France, where it was spelled as “Florimont”. From there, the spelling morphed into “Flemyne”, a variation that remains most commonly found in Canada. According to genealogical research, the earliest settlers bearing the Flemyne surname were settlers during the French colonial period in Quebec, Canada; many were religious refugees fleeing religious persecution.

Early Flemyne immigrants to Australia mostly settled in the state of Queensland although their earliest records date back to 1843. Meanwhile, the United States saw an influx of Flemyne immigration from Canada in the first half of the 19th century, mostly settling in Maine and making their way eventually to the Midwest. In all of these countries, the spelling of the Flemyne surname evolved due to their French accents and changed based on local religious, cultural, and social dialects, often resulting in variations of Flemyne, Flemin, Flemington, and Flemming.

Today, the Flemyne surname is still most commonly found in Canada with a strong presence in Australia and the United States. According to the United States Census of 2010, there were over 3700 recorded people with the Flemyne surname living in the United States. The Canadian data does not provide exact figures, but the website “genealog.net” lists the Flemyne family name as “very common” in Canada—and very few Flemyne families live anywhere else in the world.

Variations of the surname Flemyne

The surname Flemyne is derived from an ancient Norman family name, Flemyn. The spelling of this name shifted over time, and many variants of the name have developed in various different languages. In England, Flemyn was commonly spelled as Flemming, Flemyng, Flemmyng and Flemyne. In Scotland, the name was typically spelled as Fleming or Flemming, and sometimes as Flemyne. Other, more unusual, variants of the name that occurred in Scotland included Flemyng, Flimmeng, Flemeng, Flemining and Fleminge.

In America, Flemyne was mostly spelled as Fleming, Flemming or Flemyng in the 16th and 17th century, with occasional records of Flemyne and other variants. By the 18th century, many of these spellings had been simplified into the single Fleming. Later immigrants to North America often favored the spelling Fleming.

In France, the name is traditionally spelled as Flaminaud, Famignant, or Flamigny. In Germany, the name is typically spelled as Flammang, Fleman or Flemann. In Northern France, a rare spelling of the name was Flemenot.

The variants of the name Flemyne differ regionally, and there are often multiple spellings of the same name in a given locale. The most common variants worldwide are Fleming, Flemming, and Flemyng, but many other spellings exist.

Famous people with the name Flemyne

• William M. P. Flemyng: English lawyer, banker, and landowner
• Daniel Flemyng: British actor and director
• Stuart Flemyng: British actor
• Christopher Flemyng: British actor
• Alison Flemyng: British radio and television presenter
• Oliver Flemyng: British actor
• Richard Flemyng: British actor
• Samuel Flemyng: British actor
• Colin Flemyng: British actor
• Thomas Flemyng: British entrepreneur, investor and property developer

Other surnames

Flemyng