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Manchester History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Manchester History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Manchester

What does the name Manchester mean?

The ancestors of the Manchester surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in Manchester, which was in the counties of Warwickshire and Lancashire. The Manchester surname is ahabitation name that was originally derived from a pre-existing name for a town, village, parish, or farmstead.

Early Origins of the Manchester family

The surname Manchester was first found in Greater Manchester. The name originates from the Ancient Roman name Mamucium, which was the name of a Roman fort and settlement there. By the 4th century, records showed the spelling as Mamucio and much later in the Domesday Book it was listed as Mamecestre. The place name literally is derived from the Ole English word "ceaster" which means "Roman fort or town."

Early History of the Manchester family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Manchester research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1100 is included under the topic Early Manchester History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Manchester Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Manchester include Manchester, Mancester and others.

Early Notables of the Manchester family

More information is included under the topic Early Manchester Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Manchester Ranking

In the United States, the name Manchester is the 7,475^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Manchester migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Manchester Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Manchester, who landed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1638 2

Manchester Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Richard Manchester, who settled in Philadelphia in 1826
William Manchester, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1845 2
J B Manchester, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
A Manchester, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
Thomas J Manchester, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Manchester migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Manchester Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Edw Manchester, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1760

Manchester migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Manchester Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Edward Manchester, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1848 3

Manchester migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Manchester Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Manchester, (b. 1834), aged 24, English labourer from Leicestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 4
Mr. George Manchester, (b. 1838), aged 20, English labourer from Leicestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 4
Mr. William Manchester, (b. 1840), aged 21, English farm labourer, from Leicestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Stuart" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th October 1861 4
Mr. Henry Manchester, (b. 1843), aged 19, English farm labourer, from Leicestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 4
Mary A. Manchester, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Excelsior" in 1870 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Manchester (post 1700) +

William Manchester (1922-2004), American historian and biographer
Hugh A. Manchester, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Ohio State House of Representatives from Mahoning County, 1897 6
Harry G. Manchester, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for U.S. Representative from Connecticut 4th District, 1906; Prohibition Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Winchester, 1910 6
Grace C. Manchester, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1952 6
George E. Manchester, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Winchester, 1908 6
G. Manchester, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Rhode Island, 1856 6
Elias Manchester, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Cayuga County, 1831 6
Elbert Grant Manchester (1906-1995), American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Winchester, 1939-40 6
Edward Wilbur Manchester (1831-1911), American politician, Prohibition Candidate for U.S. Representative from Connecticut 4th District, 1886 6
Carroll Ward Manchester (b. 1881), American Republican politician, Member of Vermont State House of Representatives, 1941-43; Member of Vermont State Senate from Lamoille County, 1947 6
... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Hooghly.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html