This surname is derived from a nickname. 'good little pet,' a term of endearment for a little child, afterwards applied more generally. 'Bunting: a term of endearment' (Halliwell). 'Buntin, adj., short and thick, as "a buntin brat, a plump child," Roxb.' (Jamieson). The idea here is 'a good healthy child.' the Frenchbonnetin or bonneton, from bonne, good, with diminutive et- bonnet (v. Bonnet or Bunnett), and second diminutive in or on - bonn-ct-in, or bonn-et-on. This became 'buntin,' or with excrescent 'g' 'bunting' (compare Jenin and Jenning). Many old French names are double diminutives (compare Guillotin and Philiponet), and the practice was extended to England; compare Col-in-et, Dob-in-et, and Rob-in-et, where the same two dims, are reversed. These, being taken from Nicholas and Robert, are male names, however. In girls' names the order seems to have been reversed. Four women are mentioned in the Coventry Mysteries: 'Bontyng the Brewster, and Sybyly Megge Mery-wedyr and Sabyn Sprynge,' where Brewster preserves its feminine sense. Here Bonnetin has become Bonting. The name is curiously interesting as surviving in one of our favourite nursery rhymes, a strong proof of its antiquity: 'Baby, baby Bunting, Daddy's gone a hunting, Gone to get a rabbit skin To wrap his baby Bunting in.' Thus Bunn (which see), 'good,' is the first stage; Bonnet or Bunnett (which see), 'good little one.' the second; and Bunting, 'good little pet,' the third. All are well preserved in our directories.

Hugo Bonetun, Hertfordshire, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Alice Bunetun, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Thomas Bunetun, Oxfordshire, ibid.

Hugh Bonting, Lincolnshire, ibid.

Henry Buntyng, Suffolk, ibid.

John Buntyng, Sussex, ibid.

1687. Married — Earnest Collman and Anna Maria Bonatine: St. Dionis Backchurch.

The suffix in or on is frequently found as -oun or -un in early registers. Both Alison and Beton (Alice and Beatrice) are met with as Alisoun and Alisun, and Betoun and Betun. Should Bunetun prove to be local, several of my instances must be withdrawn, but they will not affect the origin of Bunting.Stolen from Fore bears

The name Bunting is, of course, intimately associated with Ireland in the person of Edward Bunting (1773-1843) who spent his life collecting Irish music. At the age of 19 he organized a great harp festival in Belfast; 3 years later he published the first of his three large collections of Irish airs. He himself was born at Armagh and his father was the manager of a coal mine at Drumglass in Co. Tyrone. The name is principally found in those counties, being of the affectionate nickname type of surname. The earliest example of it in Ireland I have met is James Bunting a trooper in Ormond's own regiment in 1640; there was another Bunting also in the army in 1647. The name was established in Ulster by the middle of the seventeenth century. Two of the name are in the Tyrone Hearth Money Rolls of 1664, and presumably the five householders who appear in the Antrim Rolls as Buntin, Buntine and Buntaine are also Buntings. In 1672 the will of Anthony Bunting, yeoman, of Co. Antrim was proved.

(Anglo-French-Latin) a corruption form of the French Bonnetin, Bonneton: v. under Bunn 1, and + the French double diminutive suff. -et-in, -et-on.

Bunting became a general term of endearment, especially for children, as seen in the nursery rhyme beginning ‘Baby, Baby Bunting.’ The name was also applied to the woodlark.

Where is my little Bunting? Why, how now, bird? What, in a pett? N. Tate, ‘Cuckold’s Haven,’ A.D.1685; T. Wright.

This name, of English origin, has been in Cos. Tyrone and Armagh since the first half of the seventeenth century. SIF 26

(English) Descendant of Bunting (the good little pet), a term of endearment for children; dweller at the sign of the hunting (finch).

Probably local; buntin is however a Scottish word meaning short and thick, as "a buntin brat," a plump child. Jamieson. The Bunteins were of Ardoch in the middle ages. A Thomas Bunting swore allegiance to Edward I. of England, in 1296. Bunting without a prefix occurs in H.R.

A kind of bird.

From the Flemish, Buntinx; a personal name Unfrid Bunting in Rotuli de Oblatis et Finibus, King John

The name of Bunting, which now has its home in the Ashbourn district in this county, is also established in Norfolk and Essex. In the 13th century this name occurred, usually as Bunting or Buntyng but sometimes as Buntig or Buntyg, in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, and Sussex (H. R.). It still remains in Norfolk, and occurs also in Essex.

Bunting or Buntyng was a common name among the Norfolk clergy in the 15th century; at that time, also, a family of the name lived at Framingham, near Norwich (Bl.). In the 13th century it was still represented in Norfolk (H. R.). The Bantings, according to Kemble, were an Anglo - Saxon clan. Further particulars concerning the past and present distribution of the name will be found under "Derbyshire".