Surname Heminway - Meaning and Origin
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Heminway: What does the surname Heminway mean?
The last name Heminway is an English variant of the German surname Heinemann, which is derived from the Middle High German words “Hein” meaning “home” and “man” meaning “man.” It is a topographical name for someone who lived near a home or a dwelling. Historically, this last name was found in many regions of England, particularly in West Riding, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire.
The surname Heminway is also a habitational name from any of numerous towns called Hemingway, in various parts of England, derived from “Heming” meaning “Warrior” and “Waege” meaning “Fortification”. In this way, it is a name for someone who comes from a fortified home.
Many American immigrants with last name Heminway originated from either the English or German variants of the name, both brought to the United States in the late eighteenth century. Those with the surname primarily lived in the southern states of Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as parts of New York.
The surname is still common in these areas of the United States today, though it is also found in Canada, Australia and other countries. Those with the last name Heminway are believed to be descendants from the same family. They share a proud connection with their ancestors and a strong sense of identity that spans centuries across continents.
Order DNA origin analysisHeminway: Where does the name Heminway come from?
Heminway is a relatively uncommon surname, so it has not spread out to many places. It's not listed on the top 1000 surnames according to the US Census Bureau.
Generally speaking, the last name Heminway has been most commonly found in the United States. According to Ancestry.com, the earliest records in the United States involving the surname Heminway appeared in 1790 in Massachusetts. Records then can be found in Tennessee and Ohio in the early 1800s.
This suggests an immigration history from Massachusetts to other parts of the United States. The states in the US that have the highest prevalence of the surname Heminway are Ohio, Massachusetts, and New York. Ohio, in particular, had the highest recorded frequency of the surname Heminway between the years 1880-1890.
Ancestry.com also lists records of the surname Heminway in Australia and New Zealand. There is also a scattering of individuals bearing the Heminway surname found in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Overall, the last name Heminway is not widespread and is generally only found in small numbers in the United States, as well as other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Heminway
The surname Heminway is of English origin, and is derived from the Old English elements "ham" and "waeg", meaning "homestead" and "path" or "road" respectively. Variants include Hemingway, Hemmingway, Hemming, Hemyngway, and some even more obscure variants like Hermingway and Hermingay.
Hemingway is a fairly common spelling, and the Heminway variation is not as common. It is most likely that the Hemingway spelling evolved as a result of scribes and clerks writing the name for records with the letter 'e' instead of 'i' due to the English language transitioning from Middle English to Modern English, with spelling inconsistencies common across the transition period.
Surnames related to the Heminway origin include Hemans, Hemings, Hemming, Hemesway, Hemmins, Hemin, Hemsheway, Hemsley, Hemson, Hemsworth, Hemsley, Heming, Hemstrit, and Hemson. Some of these surnames are fairly obscure and may not have a direct link to the original Heminway spelling.
The surname is now found throughout the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and other parts of the world, but it is impossible to determine exactly how many people may be descended from the original Heminway spelling. Despite the spelling variations, the bearers of this surname can all trace their roots back to a single common ancestor.
Famous people with the name Heminway
- Ernest Hemingway: Was an American journalist, novelist, short-story writer, and Nobel laureate. He is renowned for his spare, forceful prose style and minimalist dialogue and his influence on 20th-century fiction. He wrote many works of fiction including The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell To Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls.
- Mariel Hemingway: An American actress and author, daughter of Jack Hemingway and granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway. She appeared in various films, including Lipstick (1976), Star 80 (1983) and Manhattan (1979).
- Jack Hemingway: American author, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, imperialist, and eventual United States Army lieutenant John Hadley "Jack" Hemingway was the eldest of four sons born to Ernest and fourth wife Mary Welsh Hemingway.
- Leicester Hemingway: American novelist and short-story writer, and the younger brother of Nobel prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway. His works include the novel A Garden of Eden and the story collectionSanta Cocaine.
- Bertram Hemingway: Veteran of the United States Army and a prominent Chicago business figure who was a major in the Infantry Reserve. He was the second son of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley Richardson Hemingway.
- Gregory Hemingway: Third son of Ernest and fourth wife Mary Welsh Hemingway, and an American physician, hunter, and wilderness explorer. He released the book Papa: A Personal Memoir which was an autobiography of his relationship with his father.
- Meg (Margaux) Hemingway: American fashion model and actress, daughter of Jack and granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway. She also published a book about her life called Finding My Balance.
- Virginia Hemingway: Author and half-sister of Ernest Hemingway, born to Ernest’s father and his second wife Clara. Virginia published several short stories of her own, and later authored the book Biography of a Marriage: The Story of Pauline and Ernest Hemingway.