Surname Poyntinge - Meaning and Origin

Poyntinge: What does the surname Poyntinge mean?

The surname Poyntinge does not have a specific meaning that is widely recognized or acknowledged. It is a relatively unique surname with few notable records. The name Poyntinge might likely be of English origin, and it could perhaps be a locational name, denoting the person's origin from a place called Pointing, Pointon, or something similar. However, without established historical or etymological evidence, this is merely a conjecture.

Historical documents suggest a connection between the surname and areas of England. For instance, an astronomer named John Henry Poynting, who was born in England during the 19th century, is a notable person associated with this surname. Although surnames often carry meanings derived from professions, locations, or characteristic traits, the definitive meaning of Poyntinge is not explicitly established.

Poyntinge: Where does the name Poyntinge come from?

The surname Poyntinge is a rare yet distinctive name found today in many English-speaking countries, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. In the United Kingdom, particularly England, it is found almost exclusively in the southeastern region of England, including London, Kent, East Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, and Essex.

The modern-day Poyntinge family can trace its roots back to the 16th century and the agricultural village of Uphill in Somerset, England. As with many British surnames, the surname's spelling evolved over time, with some of the earliest recordings of the name using the spellings “Poyntyng” and “Pointing”. In more recent times, the spellings “Poynting”, “Poyntinge”, and “Poyntington” have emerged as the more standard ways of spelling the last name.

Today, the Poyntinge family is found all over the world in various geographic locations. In North America, Poyntinge families can typically be found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, while in the UK, the surname is mostly concentrated in the southeastern region. In Australia, Poyntinge families can also be found in various parts of the country.

Overall, the spelling of Poyntinge has become more standardized over the years and is now primarily found in English-speaking countries, particularly the United Kingdom in the southeast of England.

Variations of the surname Poyntinge

The surname Poyntinge is thought to be of English origin. It is an Olde English nickname for a sharp-minded person, derived from the Middle English term po(i)ntyng, meaning "sagacious". The surname is found in various spellings, many of which are phonetic variations: Pointing, Poynting, Poynten, Pointen, Pointin, and Pointon.

In far western England, in the counties of Cornwall and Devon, the surname is sometimes spelled Poynting or Poynten, the latter being also the name of a village in the neighbourhood. In Somerset, the Elizabethan spelling of Poynting appears in its earliest form. A variant spelling, Pounten, has also been noted in Gloucestershire.

In Scotland, variants of the surname Poyntinge include Pointon and Poindon. It is also sometimes spelled Phoynting in the West Midlands.

Variant spellings have also been found in America, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere around the globe. The American variants are illuminating: Pointing, Pointin, Pointon, Pointen, and Poindun.

Surnames connected with Poyntinge include Pointing, Pointon, Pointen, Pointin, Poindun, Poynting, Poynten, Pounten, and Phoynting. This suggests that the surname was brought to Britain by immigrants from many countries.

Famous people with the name Poyntinge

• Sir George Poynting: an English physicist known for his work on the transfer of energy in electromagnetic radiation.
• Robert Poynting: an English physicist and geographer who was responsible for the first systematic mapping of the world's oceanic depths.
• Amy Poynting: a British journalist and researcher who is known for her work in foreign policy and philosophy.
• Sir John Poynting: an English civil engineer who served as the surveyor general of Ireland.
• Peter Poynting: a British artist and sculptor, who served as an official war artist for the Imperial War Museum.
• Sir Charles Poynting: a British barrister and politician, who served as Governor of the Bank of England.
• John Poyntinge: an English clergyman and Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.
• Thomas Poynting: an English cleric of the Church of England, and Archdeacon of Barnstaple, Devon, England.
• Sir John Poyntinge: an English diplomat and colonial official who served as Viceroy of Ireland and Secretary of State for India.
• William Poynting: a British physicist who made contributions to the kinetic theory of gases and to the thermal conductivity of gases.

Other surnames

PoyntinPoynting