Nanny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

Etymology of Nanny

What does the name Nanny mean?

The Welsh name Nanny can be traced back to when the Nanny family lived in the settlement of Nannau, which is in the county of Merioneth. The root of this place-name is probably the Celtic word "nant," which means "brook." The surname belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Nanny family

The surname Nanny was first found in Merionethshire (Welsh: Sir Feirionnydd), made a county in Northwest Wales in 1284, and anciently part of the kingdom of Gwynedd, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Nanny family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nanny research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1578, 1691, 1718, 1725 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Nanny History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nanny Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Nanny has occasionally been spelled Nanney, Nanny, Nannau, Nanphan and others.

Early Notables of the Nanny family

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nanny Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nanny migration to the United States +

The Welsh migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed greatly to its rapid development. These migrants were in search of land, work, and freedom. Those Welsh families that survived the long ocean journey were critical to the development of new industries and factories, and to the quick settlement of land. They also added to an ever-growing rich cultural heritage. A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Nanny:

Nanny Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Martin Nanny, who arrived in Virginia in 1731

Contemporary Notables of the name Nanny (post 1700) +

Stephen C. Nanny, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 1972
John Nanny, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates 3rd District, 1980
Edouard Nanny (1872-1942), French double bass player, teacher, and composer, longtime professor of double bass at the Paris Conservatory
Nanny Lambrecht (b. 1868), German writer who authored about 25 novels