Surname Ince - Meaning and Origin
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Ince: What does the surname Ince mean?
The last name Ince is a variant of the Annis, Innis, or Inniss family name. This name is commonly associated with England and has derived from the Latin word “innixus” meaning “to hold or embrace”.
The main concentration of people with the Ince surname is within the United Kingdom and Ireland, with an especially large concentration of Inces in Lancashire, England. This is believed to be due to a particular branch of the Ince family settling there in the 12th century.
Most members of the Ince family descend from a few regions of England and Wales, such as East Anglia, Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Northamptonshire. It is thought that this name originated when a small group of families moved to Cumberland in the 10th century and adopted the name to easily identify each other.
The meaning of the name Ince is not entirely clear, yet some have suggested it may derive from the Celtic for ‘overseer of a kingdom’. It is also believed that it could originate from a personal name or a place name, such as Ince in the county of Cheshire.
The continued use of this family name is a classic example of how names have been passed down for numerous generations, and how the history of a family can still be traced today.
Order DNA origin analysisInce: Where does the name Ince come from?
The last name Ince is particularly common in Turkey, where it has been associated with the Seljuk Turks since the 12th century, where the first known use of the name is associated with a Seljuk leader of that time, Ulu Ince. It is also common in many other countries of the Middle East, North Africa and in some other countries in the wider region.
It is also a fairly common surname in Europe, particularly in the UK, where it is usually associated with the British Romany community. In the US, its spread among the population is more widespread with many people of different ethnicities, including White, Asian, Black and Hispanic/Latinx, having the surname.
In the Americas, Ince is particularly common in the Caribbean and Latin America, especially among people of Spanish descent, where its use may be related to Sephardic Jews, as well as those descended from slaves brought from Africa.
In Australia, the Ince surname is also quite common, often linked to early Danish and British settlers.
Overall, the Ince surname has a strong presence in many countries around the world, the contexts of which range from its ethnic roots, to its association with agricultural or business activities, or its prevalence in cultural contexts such as music and literature.
Variations of the surname Ince
The surname Ince is believed to have originated from England and is found in many variations and spellings. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon personal name Inga, which itself originates from the Old Norse name Ingvarr. Examples of variants and alternate spellings of Ince are: Inch, Inches, Inchs, Incey, Incy, Incye, Insey, Intz, Inchis, Inche, Inker, Inkster, Insh, Inkerman, Inkham and Inks.
The Norse name Ingvarr has also been Anglicised as Ingram, which is a variant of the Ince surname. It is also found in the form Ingman, as well as the Germanic forms Ingemann, Ingemar and Ingmar.
In Scotland, the surname Ince is found in the form of Inness. This variant is believed to have been derived from the Gaelic-speaking community of Łoch Angaich, an area in northwest Scotland, located close to the Minch.
In Ireland, where the surname is more common, variants such as Ennis, Incey, Incy, Inis and Inish have been recorded. Some Anglicised surnames derived from the Gaelic-speaking communities in Ireland are Inch, Inches, Inck and Ince.
The Ince surname has several distinct branches across Europe, including the German variants spelling of Intz and Intzsche and the Scandinavian spelling of INT. The Jewish surname Hertz is also considered a variant of Ince.
In England, the Ince surname is found in various parts of the country and is generally a place-name derived from a location such as Ince or Inch, both found in Wales, or from a localised spelling of the river name Ince that crosses the county of Cheshire. Ince also appears as Ince Blundell in Merseyside and Ince Hall in Lancashire.
Famous people with the name Ince
- Tom Ince: professional footballer who has played for a number of clubs including Derby County, Stoke City and Hull City.
- Shinol Joseph Ince: former National Secretary of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress and Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka from 2002-2004.
- Paul Ince: former professional footballer turned manager, notable for being the first black British footballer to manage a Premier League team and a national team.
- Alfred Ince: 19th century English comedian and theatre manager best known for his pantomime production of "Cinderella" in London.
- Paul Ince Jr.: professional football coach and the son of Paul Ince.
- Julian Ince: former Kenyan international cricketer.
- Lisa Ince: Canadian Interior Designer noted for her modern spin on traditional interiors.
- Michael Ince: British actor and producer.
- Robert Ince: former Canadian politician and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1988.
- Thomas William Ince: American film producer, screenwriter, director, and actor.