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Minns History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Minns History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Minns family

The surname Minns was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), where the first record of the family was the singular Minna, listed here in the Assize Rolls of 1202. Over one hundred years later, Gostelynus Mynne was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. 1

"This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Min.' There is some evidence in favour of an old personal name Min, which was probably a nick. Minnie is still used as a girl's pet name for Emmeline. " 2

Another researcher agrees: "This series seems to point to Minn, (the same as Mynn) as an ancient personal name." 3

Early History of the Minns family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Minns research. Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1094, 1184, 1327, 1429, 1492, 1541, 1549, 1550, 1558, 1563, 1564, 1571, 1572, 1585, 1587, 1588, 1595, 1598, 1599, 1603, 1608, 1609, 1615, 1623, 1625, 1642, 1665, 1666, 1671, 1748, 1793 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Minns History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Minns Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Minn, Minns, Mynn, Mynns, Myn, Min, Mynne, Menne, Minnes, Ming, Ming, Mink, Menn, Mence, Minne, Meny, Mynne, Meene, Mean and many more.

Early Notables of the Minns family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Christopher Myngs (1625-1666), English Admiral and pirate who came of a Norfolk family. It "is said by Pepys to have been of very humble origin, ‘his father being always, and at this day, a shoemaker, and his mother, a hoyman's daughter, of which he was used frequently to boast’ (Diary, 13 June 1666; cf. 26 Oct. 1665). This is certainly exaggerated, if not entirely false. His parents were of well-to-do families in the north of Norfolk. His father, John Myngs, though described in the register of Salthouse, where he was married on 28 Sept...
Another 315 words (22 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Minns Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Minns migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Minns Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Minns, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 4

Minns Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Isaac Minns, who landed in Virginia in 1702 4

Minns Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Minns, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1852 4

Minns migration to Australia +

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

Minns Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Edward Minns, English convict from Norfolk, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia 5
Martha Minns, English convict from Norfolk, who was transported aboard the "Angelina" on April 25, 1844, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Minns (post 1700) +

George Washington Minns (1813-1895), American teacher, founder of Minns Evening Normal School
Al Minns (1920-1985), American Lindy Hop and jazz dancer
Sir Ellis Hovell Minns (1874-1953), British academic and archaeologist

Historic Events for the Minns family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Leslie Charles Minns (1921-1941), Australian Sick Berth Attendant from Gardenvale, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 7

HMS Royal Oak

Frederick Arthur Minns (1921-1939), British Boy 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 8

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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 Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Angelina voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1844 with 171 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/angelina/1844
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html