Surname Hemingway - Meaning and Origin

Hemingway: What does the surname Hemingway mean?

The last name Hemingway is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English personal name 'Heming', and 'weg', which means 'path' or 'way'. It is a locational name, referring to 'Heming's path'. Thus, Hemingway can be interpreted as 'the path of Heming'. This name likely originated to signify a person who lived near or by 'the path of Heming' or was related to or a descendant of a person named Heming. Many Anglo-Saxon names are marked by such geographical or familial references. Notably, the name Hemingway is associated with the renowned American author Ernest Hemingway, who left a significant impact on 20th-century literature.

Hemingway: Where does the name Hemingway come from?

The surname Hemingway is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from a place name. The name is believed to come from Hemingway in West Yorkshire, recorded as "Hemmingwath" in the 1225 Fine Court Rolls of that county. The place was named after a river called Heming, relating to the Old English personal name "Heming", combined with "wað", meaning a ford.

Hemingway first appeared in Yorkshire, where the Hemingway family held a manorial estate. Over the centuries, however, the name has spread across different parts of the world due to emigration, predominantly to America, Australia, and Canada. In the present day, Hemingway is most common in the United States, thanks in part due to the fame of celebrated American author Ernest Hemingway. However, it can still be found in the United Kingdom, especially in the northern regions where it first originated. Beyond these, smaller populations can be found in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Despite its origins in Yorkshire, Hemingway is not a particularly common surname in the UK today.

Variations of the surname Hemingway

The surname Hemingway is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from an Old Norse personal name "Hemingr" (meaning home or house protection). This name is quite rare and doesn't have many variants compared to other surnames.

Some different recorded forms of this name are Hemmingway, Hemingway, and in some cases, Hemmingway. It's also possible to find slight spelling variations such as Hemyngway or Hemingwey, depending on the historical records and geographical areas.

Also, broadly similar names, such as Hemmings, Hemming, Hemings, Hemins, and Hemin, could potentially share some common ancestry with Hemingway, being evolved forms and regional adaptations of this Old Norse root.

This name is widespread in England today and is especially common in Yorkshire. However, the Hemingway variant remains the most internationally recognized, primarily due to the renown of the American novelist, Ernest Hemingway. The surname Hemingway itself, however, has no known direct variants. It is unique in its roots and its formation, making it not as diverse in versions as other popular English surnames.

Famous people with the name Hemingway

• Ernest Hemingway: (July 21, 1899: July 2, 1961) was an American author and journalist whose writings such as The Sun Also Rises and For Whom the Bell Tolls helped define early 20th century literature.
• Gregory Hemingway: (November 30, 1931: October 1, 2001) was the youngest of the three sons of American author Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway was a doctor who pioneered methods of treating alcoholism, among other things.
• Sean Hemingway: (born 1986) is the only son of the author and journalist who wrote The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway. Following in his grandfather's footsteps, Sean Hemingway is an author, art historian and curator of modern and contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• Mariel Hemingway: (born November 22, 1961) is an American actress and author. She is the youngest daughter of writer Ernest Hemingway and is noted for her Academy Award nominated-role and Golden Globe-winning performance in the film Manhattan.
• Leopold Hemingway: (August 21, 1895: July 21, 1937) was the firstborn son of author Ernest Hemingway. He served as an aviator in the Spanish Civil War, and is often cited as one of the first American to fly combat missions in that conflict.
• Mina Hemingway: (1908-1981) was the second of three daughters of American author Ernest Hemingway.
• Lionel Hemingway: (1906–1951) was the eldest son of American author Ernest Hemingway. He was a banker in Jamaica where his father had bought a property near Port Antonio.
• Patrick Hemingway: (born 1928) is the second son of author Ernest Hemingway and his second wife Pauline Pfeiffer. He was born in Toronto at the time when his father lived there as a foreign fisherman and correspondent.

Other surnames

HemingwaiHemingwaye