Parten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Etymology of Parten

What does the name Parten mean?

Parten is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Parten family name comes from the Norman given name Partant. 1

Another source notes that the name could have been derived from the Old English words "pere" + "tun," in modern English meaning "pear orchard" or "pear tree." 2

Early Origins of the Parten family

The surname Parten was first found in Cumberland at Parton, a township, in the parish of Moresby, union of Whitehaven, Allerdale ward above Derwent. 3 4

Now part of Cumbria, this seaside village sometimes called Parton Bay was used by the Romans, who had a fort on north of the present village. Parton is also found in Kirkcudbrightshire Scotland, and in Gloucestershire but it is generally believed that the aforementioned village and parish has the strongest evidence of the family heritage. But early records have the name scattered throughout Britain: Adam of Peron in the Assize Rolls of Wiltshire in 1249; Robert Perton in 1249; and John Parton in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1377. 5

Early Scottish records revealed Patrick fiz Matheu de Partone of Dumfries rendering homage to King Edward I of England in 1296. 6

Early History of the Parten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Parten research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1070 and 1296 are included under the topic Early Parten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Parten Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Parten have been found, including Parton, Partin, Partone, Partant, Pardon, Pardant and others.

Early Notables of the Parten family

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

Migration of the Parten family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Parten were among those contributors: Robert Partin who settled in Virginia in 1609; eleven years before the "Mayflower"; Robert and Margaret Partin settled in Virginia with their three children in 1624.

Contemporary Notables of the name Parten (post 1700) +

J. R. Parten, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1956 7

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html