Last name: Hammond
Recorded as Armand, Hammand, Hammond, Hammant, Hammon and possibly others, this is a famous Anglo-French surname, but one which can be of early Norse-Viking or later French and German origins of which it has three. The first origin is from the Norse-Viking personal name Hamundr, meaning "High protection" and possibly introduced into Britain in about the 7th century. The second is also Norse-Viking and of the same period, but from Amundr, meaning "Ancester protection". Over the centuries the two forms became literally confused and fused. The third possible origin is arguably of German origin from the personal name Haimo meaning Home, but introduced as Hammant by the Norman French invaders of England in 1066. This again became integrated and fused with the two Norse spellings. Interesting examples of namebearers include Richard Hamond of Sussex in the Subsidy Tax rolls of 1332, John Hammond who died in 1617 was physician to King James 1st of England V1th of Scotland (1603 - 1625), whilst in France Jean Antoine Armand was a christening witness at La Chappelle-Graillouse, Ardeche, on September 21st 1685. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Hamund. This was dated 1242, in the Free Rolls of Herefordshire, during the reign of King Henry 111rd, and known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
© Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2016
Want to dig deeper into your family history? Take a look at our page on building a Family Tree
. Or get scientific and enter the exciting world of Ancestral DNA
Hello! about the name HAMMOND: think also the third eymology from german & introduced by the French after 1066 >your lines: "introduced as Hammant by the Norman French invaders of England in 1066. This again became integrated and fused with the two Norse spellings."; the name from germanic "heimo" is actually brought the most numerous in west-Brittany under "Hamon/Hémon" & so, could have been partly introduced by the numerous knights from Brittany composing the 'norman cavalry' at the battle of Hasting 1066. Reed the Reaney book on english surnames.
all the best.