Surname Venables - Meaning and Origin

Venables: What does the surname Venables mean?

The last name Venables is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is associated with a place in Normandy named "Venable". It belongs to the category of surnames that were derived from the places where the original bearers lived or owned land. The name first arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, when William the Conquerer rewarded his followers with land grants. The name may be a derivation of a botanical term "vena", meaning marsh, or could potentially refer to hunting grounds. The bearers of the name Venables were likely associated with such localities. It is important to note that name meanings can vary significantly depending on the cultural and historical context of the name's origin.

Venables: Where does the name Venables come from?

The surname Venables is quite common in England today, most notably in the Midlands and South West counties. Records show that it is the 43rd most common surname in England, as well as being more than commonly found in Wales (particularly in Flintshire and Denbighshire). It is also popular in Australia, being present in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.

The origin of the last name Venables is thought to be from a French medieval given name, Venable, which derived from the Latin word venabilis, meaning huntable. It is thought to have been a surname of aristocratic persons who served their king or lord as a venator, or hunter. Records show that it was in use as a surname as early as the thirteenth century in England. Records also indicate the presence of Venables in Lancashire, Cheshire, and Warwickshire during that same period.

Venables may also have been derived as a toponymic name from a small hamlet of the same name in Buckinghamshire near Chinnor. A branch of the family has for centuries been based in Yorkshire where it has become well established. The Venables family has also been associated with the peerage, with Sir John Venables-Vernon being created Baronett in 1628, and the same family has been present at the British court since the early 19th century.

The Venables surname is still present throughout England today, as well as in many other countries. It is primarily distributed across the English Midlands, but is also present in other parts of the country, as well as in other parts of the world such as Australia and New Zealand and the United States.

Variations of the surname Venables

The surname Venables (sometimes written as Venable/Venabell/Venabull/Venable) is derived from a French toponymic name for people that originally lived in Normandy. It is derived from the word 'Venelle’, which means a small village, or by-way or lane. The family name is derived from the place where the ancestor of the bearer lived or held land in Normandy, France. The name Venables is also spelled as Vanabels, Venabull, Venabell, Venabales, Vennables, Venablese, Vennabelle, and Vennable.

Variations of the same spelling such as Venbel is also common. Other variant spellings of the surname include Venabil, Venabilis, Venabul, Venabull, Venabillas, Venablle, Vernebles, and Vernoble. It is also occasionally spelled as Vinesbloom, Vanbls, and Venorsi.

The surnames that are derived from the same origin as the Venables surname include Van Petty, Veenable, Viable, Vennables, Venebell, Venfant, Vannable, Vanbil, Venobe, and Van Bye.

The Venables surname has many variants and spellings, each derived from the original Norman French toponymic name 'Venelle'. These surrounding variants of the Venables name are also often used and accepted as variants of the original spelling.

Famous people with the name Venables

• Cliff Venables: English cricketer and author
• Ric Venables: former professional snooker player
• Jeff Venables: former American college football coach
• Philip Venables: British composer
• Philip Venables: American athlete and former professional football player
• Richard Venables: former English tug-of-war champion
• Nick Venables: American professional ice-hockey player and coach
• Tom Venables: English footballer
• Terry Venables: English footballer and manager
• Tony Venables: professor of economics at the University of Oxford
• Martin Venables: English former football player
• Tim Venables: former English footballer
• Peter Venables: former English footballer
• Ernie Venables: former English footballer
• Dave Venables: former English professional rugby player
• Clive Venables: former bishop of Hereford
• Paul Venables: former professional badminton player
• Edward Venables: British construction and engineering entrepreneur
• Alan Venables: English former professional cricketer
• Mark Venables: former English professional wrestler

Other surnames

VenablVenable