Sweeting Family History & Genealogy

Summary

See History of the name Sweeting

History

This interesting name is of early medieval English origin, and is a nickname surname for a popular or attractive person, or for somebody who habitually addressed people with the Middle English term "swetin", meaning darling, or sweetheart.
It could also derive from the medieval given name, originally an Olde English pre 7th Century patronymic of "Swet(a)" from the Olde English "swete", sweet, pleasant, agreeable. One Richard Swetyne was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1273, as was Thomas Swetyene. The Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire mention a Willelmus Swyting in 1379.
Coats of Arms were granted to Sweeting families at Canterbury in Kent and Brickmaller in Somerset, the latter depicting three gold triple violins on a red shield. The coat of arms used by our family are a variation of those used in Yorkshire, it shows 2 stars and a rosette on a red shield with chevrons. This coat of arms can be seen in the upper right-hand corner of this genealogy
One Samuell Sweeting was "attainted of High Treason" in the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, and with ninety-nine other prisoners so convicted, was transported to the Isle of Barbados. Also travelling to Barbados, this time voluntarily, was one John Sweating aboard the "Peter Bonaventure" on the April 3rd 1635.
An entry into the ships register for this date reads- 26 Mar - 04 Apr 1635: To be embarked [from London] in the Peter Bonaventure
“This underwritten name is to be imbarqued in the Peter Bonaventure. John Sweeting. bound for ye Barbadoes and St Christopher’s. Certificate from Gravesend: Also, one Samwell Sweeting prisoner of the realm and treasoner given Attensatcon from Justice Grimston and Justice Sheppard hath taken the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy shall be placed into servitude on disembark”
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Sweting, which was dated 1250, in the "Fees of Wiltshire", during the reign of King Henry 3rd, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Name Origin

Someone handsome or with an agreebale personality

Spellings & Pronunciations

Sweeten Swyting and many others

Nationality & Ethnicity

Yorkshire England It could also derive from the medieval given name, originally an Olde English pre 7th Century patronymic of "Swet(a)" from the Olde English "swete", sweet, pleasant, agreeable. One Richard Swetyne was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1273, as was Thomas Swetyene. The Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire mention a Willelmus Swyting in 1379.

Famous People named Sweeting

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Early Sweetings

These are the earliest records we have of the Sweeting family.