Surname Hemenway - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'H'
Hemenway: What does the surname Hemenway mean?
The surname Hemenway is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from medieval England. It is believed to be a locational name for individuals who resided near a highway or a main road. The name is derived from the Old English words "heah," meaning "high" and "weg," meaning "way" or "road". Therefore, the surname can be understood to signify someone who lived by a major route or thoroughfare. The name first appeared in the historical records in various counties in England and became widespread. The surname was later carried to many parts of the world through English exploration, colonization and the subsequent growth of the British Empire.
Order DNA origin analysisHemenway: Where does the name Hemenway come from?
The surname Hemenway is of English origin and was originally found in the region of Heminway, England. The name is likely a locality surname, given to those who lived in or near Heminway. The name is believed to have been influenced by the Old English words 'heah', which means 'high', and 'weg', meaning 'path' or 'way', and it evolved to Hemingway, Hemenway, and other variations over time.
Today, the surname Hemenway is most common in the United States, particularly in the New England region. The area has historical ties to the name; for instance, the Hemenway Expedition in the late 19th century was a significant archaeological and ethnological survey of the American Southwest funded by Mary Tileston Hemenway. Arizona's Hemenway Park is also named after her. The influence and recognition of the name in these regions have made it relatively more common. However, it is still not a very common surname globally.
Variations of the surname Hemenway
The surname Hemenway is of English origin. It is a fairly unique surname and thus doesn't have a large number of variants. However, similar or related surnames may include Hemingway, Hemmingway, and Hemeway. The variant Hemingway is perhaps the most famous due to the acclaimed American author Ernest Hemingway.
The surname Hemenway itself may have different spelling interpretations with some dropping the 'e' to become Hmenway or doubling the 'm' to give Hemmenway.
These surnames likely share the same root with the Old English personal name Hemming, which itself has multiple variants like Heman, Hemon etc. and the suffix 'way' which refers to a road or path. So, Hemenway or Hemingway could possibly mean 'Hemming’s path'.
Further, names such as Hemmings, Hemming, Hemins, Hemin, Hemminges and Hemmans might be of the same origin because of similar sounding and historical significance.
As surnames evolved over time and were often written based on their phonetic sound, different branches of the same family often ended up with different spellings and versions of what was originally the same surname.
Famous people with the name Hemenway
- Lydia Hemenway: author, lecturer, and professor of Political Science and gender studies at the City University of New York Graduate Center.
- Paul Hemenway Altrocchi:American psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and author.
- Nate Hemenway: American bass guitar player in the bands Firehose and Redd Kross.
- Henry Hobson Hemenway:19th century American landscape painter and etcher.
- Mary Gardner Hemenway: 19th century American educator.
- Kim Hemenway: American gaming YouTuber and Twitch streamer.
- Brian Hemenway: American actor, known for his work in HBO comedy series Six Feet Under.
- Dean Hemenway: Vice President of Global Handheld Business at Sony Computer Entertainment.
- Henry Hemenway: 19th century American sea captain.
- David Hemenway: professor of health policy at Harvard University.