Surname Wintamute - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Wintamute: What does the surname Wintamute mean?
The last name Wintamute comes from the Old English words "wynn" and "moot" meaning "enclosure" or "garden". This indicates that those who originally bore this name had a large farmland or garden area. In the Middle Ages, the Wintamutes likely owned land around the area of counties in England like Surrey, Hampshire, Kent, and East Sussex.
The Wintamute name is believed to have originated from a Norman noble family in England, the de Wynton family. It was likely first recorded in Surrey during 1163, where they may have owned land prior to the Norman Conquest. In 1208, the Wintamute family was recorded as having acquired the manor of Wyntenic in the county of Surrey.
In the 15th century, Wintamutes from Surrey and Kent were found living in Scotland, settling in Lanarkshire. Around this time, they also emigrated to Ireland, possibly moving to Monaghan and Tyrone counties. They may have also been a part of the "Plantation of Ulster".
The Wintamute family began to move to America around the 1600's to seek a better life. Some of the earliest inhabitants that bore the last name may have had a prominent place in history related to the American Revolutionary War.
Throughout history, members of the Wintamute family have been known to be hardworking and dedicated. This is likely reflective of their beginnings as landowners. Despite their time in various countries, certain traits and characteristics have stuck with the family for centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisWintamute: Where does the name Wintamute come from?
The last name Wintamute is not particularly common today. It appears to be most commonly found in the United States of America, especially in the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, and Florida. According to records, the highest concentrations of households bearing the name are located in the cities of San Leandro, California; Warminster, Pennsylvania; and Raritan, New Jersey.
Due to its relatively low count of households in comparison to other surnames, the origin of this name is still uncertain. Possible theories point to Dutch origin, as the spelling and variations of the name (i.e. Wintamucy, Vintamury, Vintemyte) resemble similar surnames in that area. This theory is supported by the fact that a number of 19th century immigrants bearing this last name settled in Pennsylvania and New Jersey during that time.
Although the name Wintamute is not particularly common today, it still exists in various pockets across the United States. Its rarity and relatively unknown origin, however, makes it a unique and interesting surname for those who know and bear it.
Variations of the surname Wintamute
The surname Wintamute is derived from a combination of Anglo-Saxon words meaning 'friend' and 'great'. It is also commonly spelled Wantamootz, Wintamotta, Wintamout and Windamute. The variations of spelling are explained by the fact that this family name likely developed when English was not a fixed language and the same surname could be written several ways.
Variations and alternate spellings of the Wintamute surname include Wantamootz, Wintamotta, Wintamout, Windamute, Winteme, Wittemoe, Wittemuth, Wytemore, Wytemor, Wytemote, Wytemuth and Wytemut. These surnames may also be found in other records, typically in older documents, as Wantemote, Wantemoote, Wantemut, Wantamoote, Wantamote and Wantamut.
Surnames of a similar origin but with slightly different meanings include Wanton, Wantling, and Wansley. All of these surnames allude to the original meaning of Wintamute, due to the shared Anglo-Saxon roots, but have been further adapted into new variations. Wanton, for example, is composed of wan, meaning ‘unwilling’, and tun, meaning ‘farmstead’ and so can roughly translated to mean ‘unwilling farmstead’.
In conclusion, Wintamute is a surname derived from a combination of Anglo-Saxon words and its several variations, spellings and similar surnames are evidence of its varied evolution since its origin.
Famous people with the name Wintamute
- Eugene Wintamute, American criminologist and gun violence researcher
- Randall Wintamute, American general counsel for several companies
- Robert Wintamute, Canadian lawyer and author
- Peter Wintamute, American actor and composer
- Mark Wintamute, British civil servant
- Kristin Wintamute, American public policy researcher
- David Wintamute, British businessman and entrepreneur
- Ian Wintamute, English actor
- John Wintamute, Scottish cricketer
- Scott Wintamute, Australian musician and songwriter