Tunstead History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Tunstead family

The surname Tunstead was first found in Norfolk at Tunstead, a parish, in the Tunstead and Happing incorporation, hundred of Tunstead. North Lancashire is the home of another Tunstead in the union of Haslingden, Higher division of the hundred of Blackburn. 1

The Norfolk parish dates back to c. 1044-1047 when it was known as Tunstede. Literally the place name means "farmstead." 2 By the time of the Domesday Book, the parish was known as Tunesteda. 3

One of the first records of the family was Simon Tunsted (d. 1369), a "Minorite friar and miscellaneous writer, born at Norwich, his father being a native of Tunstead, whence the surname was derived. " 4

Early History of the Tunstead family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tunstead research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1510, 1537 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Tunstead History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tunstead Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tunstead, Tinstede, Tunsted, Tonsted, Tonstead and others.

Early Notables of the Tunstead family

Distinguished members of the family include

the Tunstead family of Derbyshire

Tunstead migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Tunstead Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Tunstead, who landed in Maryland in 1656 5
John Tunstead, who arrived in Virginia in 1657 5

Tunstead migration to Australia +

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

Tunstead Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Rebecca Tunstead, aged 23, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Mary Green" 6
James Tunstead, aged 40, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "John Bunyan" 7

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. 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)
South Australian Register Monday 20 June 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MARY GREEN 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marygreen1853.shtml
South Australian Register Wednesday 24th May 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) John Bunyan 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/johnbunyan1854.shtml