Bennett / Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Bennett / Family History

Bennett / Family History

The Bennett ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Bennett is a surname of nickname origin, meaning 'little blessed one'. Variants include Bennetts, Bennet, Bunyan and Binane. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a Benett de Hankeston, of Cambridge England who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls' in the year 1273. In Scotland part of the lands of Williamstoun in the Barony of Cardowie were leased to John Bennett in 1563. In Ireland the name was established before 1250 in the Barony of Moygoish and in Tipperary. The existence of a place called Bennetstreet in County Kilkenny from 1312, indicates that they were of some importance. In the seventeenth century the name is recorded as MacBennett in County Armagh.The Bennett family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Bennett descendants.