HAMES
Hames is a surname of English origin with deep Germanic roots, traced back to the medieval given name Hamo or its brief form Hammo. The name itself derives from the Germanic element haim, meaning “home”, coupled with ric, signifying “ruler” or “king.” Consequently, the surname Hames carries the meaning “home ruler” or “ruler of the estate.”
After the Norman Conquest of 1066, the personal name Hamo was introduced into England by Norman settlers. In the English language it evolved into forms such as Hamun and Hamon. The patronymic adaptation of this name produced variations including Hamson, Haimes, Haymes, and the patronymic Hames itself, all of which denote “son of Hamon.”
The first documented use of the surname is found in the Cumberland Subsidy Rolls of 1332, where a man named Thomas del Hames is recorded during the reign of King Edward III, who reigned from 1327 to 1377. This record confirms that the name was settled in England by the early fourteenth century.
During the seventeenth century, the surname travelled beyond the British Isles. One notable bearer, Clement Haimes, emigrated aboard the ship Amitie in October 1635. He proceeded to St. Christopher in the West Indies, now known as St. Kitts, marking the first known trans-Atlantic migration of a person bearing the surname.
In addition to the patronymic forms, the name Hames shares a close relationship with the more familiar surname Hammond, which incorporates a typical English consonant ending. Other variants such as Hammon, Hame, and Haime also exist, reflecting regional and temporal spelling differences in medieval and early modern records.
These documented instances and linguistic analyses provide a firm foundation for understanding the historical and etymological background of the Hames surname, illustrating its transformation from a Germanic personal name into a distinct English family name anchored in the social structure of medieval and early modern England.
Typical given names associated with the Hames surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Peter
- Richard
- Stephen
- Steven
- William
Female
- Catherine
- Daphne
- Elizabeth
- Jane
- Jean
- Karen
- Laura
- Margaret
- Mary
- Rebecca
- Sandra
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
- Ames
- Amis
- Amiss
- Emes
- Haimes
- Haims
- Haime
- Hamas
- Ham
- Hamb
- Hahm
- Haim
- Haes
- Hame
- Haeems
- Hamaizia
- Hamed
- Hamess
- Hamey
- Hamici
- Hamie
- Hamies
- Hamis
- Hamisi
- Hamm
- Hammas
- Hamme
- Hammes
- Hamms
- Hamn
- Hampe
- Hamps
- Hamre
- Hams
- Hamsa
- Hamsey
- Hamza
- Hamzaoui
- Hamze
- Hamzi
- Hamzie
- Hayes
- Haymas
- Hayme
- Haymes
- Hayms
- Heam
- Heame
- Heames
- Heams
- Heamus
- Heems
- Heimbs
- Heime
- Heimes
- Heims
- Hemas
- Hemes
- Hemici
- Hemies
- Hemis
- Hemme
- Hemmes
- Hemmise
- Hemms
- Hemnes
- Hemns
- Hems
- Hemsi
- Hemus
- Hemuss
- Heyme
- Heymes
- Heymoz
- Hiams
- Himes
- Himms
- Hims
- Himues
- Himus
- Himz
- Hoimes
- Homas
- Homes
- Hommes
- Homs
- Homsi
- Homza
- Hoomes
- Humes
- Humza
- Hyhams
- Hymas
- Hymass
- Hymes
- Hymos
- Hyms
- Hymus
- Yhomas
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Hames in...
Braille
⠓⠁⠍⠑⠎
Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 1,661 people named Hames in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,927th most common surname in Britain. Around 26 in a million people in Britain are named Hames.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Hames
- Duncan Hames - Politician
- Ashley Hames - Television presenter
- Greg Hames - Cricketer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.