Surname Wyndam - Meaning and Origin
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Wyndam: What does the surname Wyndam mean?
The last name Wyndam is a French locational surname from the Norman-French words 'windham', meaning ‘an enclosed meadow near a river, or a winding road through a meadow’. The French windham or windam was often spelled Wyndam in English. The surname would have been given to someone who lived near a meadow or winding road.
It is not known exactly when the name Wyndam was first established since many of its earliest records are found in England. However, the name Wyndam is very early, since evidence suggests that it was in use as a surname since at least the 13th century. Some of the earliest recordings of the name Wyndam found in England include Robert Wyndam in the Assize Court Rolls of Norfolk in 1272, Peter Wyndham of Somerset in 1281, and Richard Wyndam of Suffolk in 1296.
The Wyndam family held a well-established manor from very early times. Wyndam Manor is first recorded in the thirteenth century in Suffolk, England and the family were prominent across England, chiefly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Gloucestershire.
The Wyndam surname is also popular in England and the United States. Those who bear the Wyndam name are proud of their French and Norman heritage, and the name continues to be a sign of strength strength and pride throughout the world.
Order DNA origin analysisWyndam: Where does the name Wyndam come from?
The last name Wyndam is most commonly found in the United Kingdom and Ireland, but it can also be found in America, Australia, Canada, India, and other parts of Europe. The family name originates from a place-name in England which could either be linked to an area in Norfolk or from a river-name in Lancashire.
The Wyndam family has a long history in the UK. In 1086 the family were recorded as having a manor in Norfolk. This area of England was later associated with the Wyndam family and is one of the main locations where the family name is found.
In the US, Wyndam can be found in counties throughout the states. The most common place of origin for immigrants to the US with the last name Wyndam was England with over 5,000 immigrants according to the US Census Bureau.
In Australia, many immigrants with this last name settled in New South Wales and Victoria in the 1800s and today the family name is scattered throughout the country. In Canada, the Wyndam family is mainly found in Ontario, and are believed to have emigrated from the UK and Ireland.
The Wyndam surname is still fairly common today and according to the Office for National Statistics the number of occurrences in England and Wales was recorded as 2,908 in 2011. It's also a fairly common surname in America, with the US Census Bureau recording about 6,788 people in the US with the last name Wyndam in 2016.
Variations of the surname Wyndam
The surname Wyndam has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Many variants of the surname are derived from the pre-7th century word ‘windham’, which means ‘windy homestead’.
Variants of the Wyndam surname include Windham, Windom, Wendam, Wyndom, Windhamm, Wyndham, Windamm, Windam, Windhome, and Windhamme. The Americanized spellings of Wyndam include Windham and Windom, as well as Wynham and Wynom.
The surnames of the same origin also include Wyndham and Windham, both of which have their own respective sub-variations, such as Wyndham, Wyndam, Wyndhamm, Windam, Windhamme, Windamme, Windams, Wyndams and Windsor.
The surname Wyndam also appears as a sept of Clan Fraser in Scotland. This means that people from this family may also have the surname Fraser, as well as Windham.
In Ireland, the surname Wyndam may be derived from the MacEoghain and/or MacAonghusa families. Both of these families are now generally known as MacKeown and MacKeon (or MacKeavan), respectively.
The occurrence of the surnames Wyndam, Windham, Windom and Wyndom appears across many different countries, including the UK, US, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In the US, for example, Windham is the 827th most common surname according to the 2000 US Census.
Famous people with the name Wyndam
- John Wyndham: British novelist and short story writer.
- Sidney Wyndam: British Army officer and Conservative Member of Parliament.
- Percy Wyndham: British army officer and Conservative Member of Parliament.
- Spencer Wyndham: British politician, soldier, writer, and civil servant.
- George Wyndham: British poet and Conservative politician.
- Charles Wyndham: British stage actor.
- William Wyndham (Lord Egremont): British politician and nobleman.
- Percy Wyndham-O'Brien: Irish soldier and politician.
- Richard Wyndham: British soldier and diplomat.
- Arnold Wyndham: British actor and theatrical producer.