Mohend History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Mohend

What does the name Mohend mean?

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Mohend family lived in Kent. The name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Moion, near St. Lo, Normandy, "where the site of their castle is still to be seen. Wace tells us that 'old William de Moion had with him many companions' and the battle of Hastings, and one of Leland's rolls of the Norman conquerors is nothing but a list of those who came in the train of 'Monseir William de Moion le Veil, le plus noble de tout l'ouste." 1

Early Origins of the Mohend family

The surname Mohend was first found in Kent where they held a family seat at Maidstone in that shire. They were descended from Guillaume (William) de Moyon a Norman Baron whose seat was at the castle of Moion, near St. Lo in Normandy. 2

William de Moyon received large grants of land in Somerset, the Lordship of Clehangre in Devon, and Sutton in Wiltshire. He also had grants in Kent. From William was descended the first Earl of Somerset, the Earls of Dorset and the Barons of Okehampton.

"At the period of the Conquest, this town [now called Minehead], then called Manheved, was given by William [the Conqueror] to William de Mohun." 3

Although the main stem of this very noble Norman family retained the various spellings of Munn or Munns, junior lines adopted the name Munson or Munnings. The same William de Mohun (Moyon) held estates in Dunster, Somerset.

"The town, which is called Torre in Domesday Book, owes its origin to a baronial castle built here by William de Mohun, a Norman Baron, on whom the Conqueror had bestowed large estates in this part of the kingdom. The castle, which was held by the family of Mohun till the reign of Edward III., was the scene of hostilities in the civil wars of the reigns of Stephen and John, and in the contests between the houses of York and Lancaster; the Marquess of Hertford, also, took possession of it for Charles I. during the war with the parliament." 3

"Rosteage, [in the parish of Gerrans, Cornwall] in the reign of Elizabeth, was the seat of Reginald Mohun, a captain under Sir Walter Raleigh. In this family it continued until the year 1662, when it was purchased by Nicholas Kempe, Esq." 4

Early History of the Mohend family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mohend research. Another 260 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1390, 1400, 1508, 1564, 1568, 1571, 1573, 1579, 1587, 1595, 1603, 1610, 1615, 1616, 1618, 1620, 1625, 1626, 1641, 1642, 1645, 1665, 1681, 1684, 1685, 1689, 1690, 1692, 1712, 1718 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mohend History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mohend Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Moyon, Moion, Mohun, Moyne, Munn, Munns, Munson, Munton, Mwn, Mun, Munds, Mouns, Muns, Munnes, Munnson, Munnsen, Munning and many more.

Early Notables of the Mohend family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Reginald Mohun, 1st Baronet (ca.1603-1642), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1625 and 1626; John Mohun, 1st Baron Mohun of Okehampton (1595-1641), an English politician; Warwick Mohun, 2nd Baron Mohun of Okehampton (1620-1665), an English politician; Michael Mohun (1616?-1684), a...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mohend Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mohend family to Ireland

Some of the Mohend family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mohend family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Mohend or a variant listed above: William Munnes arrived in Virginia in 1619; a year before the Mayflower; HolliBerry Munn settled in Barbados in 1654; Thomas Munns settled in the Bahamas in 1679 with his servants.

The Mohend Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Omnia vincit veritas
Motto Translation: Truth conquers all things.

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print