MANTHORPE FAMILY HISTORY


This page is dedicated to the history of the Manthorpe family of East Anglia, notably the Norfolk branch

The Manthorp(e) surname appears to be of Danish origin, although the family have been established in England since at least the early Middle Ages. One Danish branch of the family possessed a coat of arms (two blue and silver sheep shears), seen on a Danish tombstone, but this line appears to have died out by the 14th century. The earliest reference in England appears to be in connection with land near Somerleyton Hall in Suffolk, and the family appear in Lincolnshire from around the 15th century - there is probably some link with the village of Manthorpe, near Grantham, in Lincolnshire.

A Henry Manthorpe died in 1502 at Caister, Norfolk, and this individual appears to be antecedent to an extensive Manthorpe descendant tree in the surrounding parishes, with the principal line drifting inland via Runham and Stokesby to settle in Beighton near Lingwood by the early 17th century. This line continued to flourish locally down to the present, and has been the focus of a study by numerous current descendants with an interest in family history. 

A Manthorpe Society was founded in 1992 and produces a newsletter, the 'Manthorpe News' about 3 or 4 times a year. Society Gatherings have taken place in 1992 (about 70 people) and 2001 (about 80 people). There is also a Manthorpe website which includes a lot of material on the family, much of it from the same participants.

Apart from this Norfolk Manthorpe line, there are documented trees for the Manthorpes of Suffolk (from 1460, the will of Thomas of North Cove), Wrentham, Suffolk (from 1770), Wood Dalling, Norfolk (from 1770) and Pennsylvania (from 1840, probably linked to the Norfolk line).

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone interested in further details of this branch of the Manthorpe family, or who is able to provide additional details relevant to this branch, is invited to contact the coordinator for this page Ian Hall.

 

This page was last updated 16 May 2007 About this website ...