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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Essex => Topic started by: bossy wifey on Friday 20 June 08 20:54 BST (UK)

Title: Odd first name
Post by: bossy wifey on Friday 20 June 08 20:54 BST (UK)
In our family we have a Mynott born in 1827. At a time when it was more usual to give a child a traditional name Mynott stands out rather. Has anyone met this name before or know the derivation of it. If it's a surname used as a Christian name it isn't his mother's.
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: Martin17 on Saturday 21 June 08 07:45 BST (UK)
Hi bossey wifey

I have seen Mynot as a christian name whilst carrying out research. Although not researching the Milton family, I have a Mynot Milton born 1804 connected to my tree. Mynots family were from Farnham, Essex.

Regards

Martin
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: bossy wifey on Saturday 21 June 08 08:49 BST (UK)
Hi bossey wifey

I have seen Mynot as a christian name whilst carrying out research. Although not researching the Milton family, I have a Mynot Milton born 1804 connected to my tree. Mynots family were from Farnham, Essex.

Regards

Martin

Hi Martin


Thanks for your reply.


It's very interesting because my Mynott comes from Henham in Essex only a mile or two NE from your man. There must be something local that has triggered the choice of name. I must investigate further.

regards

Monica
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: lizdb on Tuesday 24 June 08 21:34 BST (UK)
If you just put Mynot* in to the 1851 census search it comes up with 16 people with that Christian name.
Predominantly Essex, some Hertfordshire and elsewhere

Wouldnt be surprised if they are all related - maybe a surname from some generations back that has been carried forward.
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: bossy wifey on Wednesday 25 June 08 12:39 BST (UK)
If you just put Mynot* in to the 1851 census search it comes up with 16 people with that Christian name.
Predominantly Essex, some Hertfordshire and elsewhere

Wouldnt be surprised if they are all related - maybe a surname from some generations back that has been carried forward.

Thanks for that; it would be intersting to know just where they all join up but that's a job for another day . Apart from another reply on RootsChat I hadn't come across another Mynot/Mynott/Mynot*. Also thanks for the * tip.

regards

Monica
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: XPhile2868 on Wednesday 25 June 08 12:42 BST (UK)
Quote
Recorded in many spelling forms all quite rare and including: Mignot, Minet, Mynett and Mynott, this is an English surname, but of pre-medieval French origins. Probably introduced by the Normans after the invasion of 1066, it is derived from the word 'mignot', meaning dainty. As such it was originally either a baptismal name of endearment, or later a nickname surname. Humour in the Middle Ages was very robust, and many nicknames, most of which were given to males, were the reverse of the literal meaning. Hence in the famous fables of Robin Hood, the second in command of the outlaws was one "Little John", was so named because he was the largest of the band!

http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=Mynott


Stephen :)
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: charlotteCH on Wednesday 25 June 08 13:09 BST (UK)
Lucky you getting a distinctive first name- helps sort out the possibles and finding them living relatively closeby is another bonus-
Good luck in your tying it all together.

charlotte
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: JAP on Thursday 26 June 08 01:44 BST (UK)
If, in the IGI, you just put Mynot as given name and select British Isles as the region, it brings up some 51 entries (various spellings).

JAP
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: charlotteCH on Thursday 26 June 08 04:43 BST (UK)
Tantalising that there are the different spellings with them all as candidates for your consideration given that transcriptions can't be relied upon nor can what was written in the original register given the level of literacy etc.

Maybe location would be a better guide way back to possible connections?
charlotte
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: Framesmiths1816 on Tuesday 17 March 09 15:07 GMT (UK)
Hi,

I am a little late joining in with this but I can add the following as I have Mynett as a family surname.

It is thought that most of the Mynett, Mynatt, Mynott, Minett, Minnot, Mynyot, Minet etc variations stem from Mignot. While there are Norman/French connections for the name, I also believe some are of later Huguenot French origins. The spellings do quite often seem to indicate an area/family group. Mynett seems to be Gloucestershire, Mynatt - Suffolk and you Mynott would look to be Essex.

Hope this is useful - FS
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: bossy wifey on Tuesday 17 March 09 15:35 GMT (UK)
You are right this Mynott comes from Essex. Because of the surname, Neville, I assumed there was a French connection centuries back. Odd that the name as a first name should have been given, in my case, to the eighth child of the family, especially where all the others had good Bibical names.

Nice to hear from you
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: Framesmiths1816 on Tuesday 17 March 09 17:06 GMT (UK)
Are there indications of a naming convention in use? It might be possible to pick up where the name came from if they are. Have a look at
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/hardiehistory/namemeanings/namingsystems.htm#StandardEnglish
to see if anything stands out. My Mynetts were very found of using surnames as second names to the point where some children have more than one surname in the name for example Mary Stephens Chew Mynett. In this instance we know that Chew is the mothers maiden name but Stephens reference is still a mystery. To give you some idea these are the Christian names used in the same family group. Clifford, Leech, Lidiatt, Stephens, Chew and Adey. Only two of these names have been identified. I wonder if it is a Hugenot /French thing and they go back many more generations than usual.

Of course it could just be a family friends name.

ATB - FS
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: janan on Tuesday 17 March 09 17:23 GMT (UK)
Hi

If Mynott was originally a mother's surname it might be from way back. I had to trace back to a marriage in 1648 of James Allsopp to Susanna Wandell to find the origin of my ggg grandad Wandell Allsopp's name.

Jan ;)
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: bossy wifey on Tuesday 17 March 09 17:31 GMT (UK)
Hi

I bet you were thrilled when you solved that puzzle. Lucky you, although I suspect luck had nothing to do with it.

Regards

Monica
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: janan on Tuesday 17 March 09 17:35 GMT (UK)
Thrilled to find the marriage but not so thrilled to find loads of Wandells - I'm still not sure which of two possibles my Wandell is ::) ;D

Good luck with your search
Jan ;)
Title: Re: Odd first name
Post by: Henham Essex on Sunday 13 November 11 16:37 GMT (UK)
Hi

You may be interested in www.henhamhistory.org there is a wealth of information including parish records and census returns for Henham Essex