This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Hamilton.' Although there are several Hambledons (the Dioceses Peterborough, Oxford, and Winchester) and one Hambleton (the Diocese Manchester), not to mention smaller spots (v. Hambleton), the Scottish Hamiltons are traced to Hambledon, a manor in Buckinghamshire (v. Lower, Patr. Brit). It is probable that the English Hamiltons are sprung from a dozen different sources. There is a Hambleton, a township in the parish of Brayton, near Selby, Yorkshire v. Hamell.

William de Hameldene, Buckinghamshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Robert de Hameledene, Oxfordshire. ibid.

Alexander de Hameldone, Buckinghamshire, ibid.

Thomas de Hameldene, Gloucestershire, ibid.

Richard de Hameleden, Surrey: Henry III-Edward I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

Robert (parson of the church at) Hameldon, Surrey: 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

The house of Hamilton was represented from 1294—95 to a date something short of 1346 by Walter Fitz Gilbert, the father of David, who styled himself on his seal David Fitz Walter, but who was more fully styled Sir David Fitz Walter Fitz Gilbert. Sir David was succeeded by his son of the same baptismal name who, in 1378, was the first of the house to style himself by his territorial title alone, David de Hamilton, although Walter had been described among the lairds of Renfrewshire as "Wauter fiz Gilbert de Hameldone" as early as the Homage Roll of 1296 (J. H. Stevenson, PSAS., LXV, p. 243). A Gilbert de Hameldun, clericus, was one of the witnesses to a charter by Thomas de Cragyn to the monks of Paisley, 1272 (RMP., p. 233). Walter Fitz-Gilbert was witness in 1294—95 to a charter of the manor of Blackhall in Renfrewshire by James the High Steward to the same monks (ibid., p. 96), and in 1296 he rendered homage as Wauter fiz Gilbert de Hameldone (Bain, II, p. 212). The surname is not derived from Hamilton in Lanarkshire, but from some place in England. There are several places named Hambledon or more commonly Hambleton in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Bucks, and elsewhere in England. There was also a place of the name in Northumberland from which the Scots family may more originally be derived, but there is no evidence available to prove the connection. Henrik Albertson Hamilton, Latin poet of Denmark, who flourished in the reign of Christian IV (1588—1648) was of Scottish extraction. In the French archer muster-rolls Ouatte Amiton appears for Watty Hamilton. Hameldon and Hemildon 1424, Hammeltoune 1532, Hammyltoun 1531, Hammyltoune 1547, Hamulthone 1537, Hamyltone 1432, Hamyltoune 1388, Hommyltoun 1426.

The town of Manorhamilton was not mentioned in Irish Families. For information on the notorious “Hamilton gallows” there see Meehan's Confederation of Kilkenny. Much useful. information on the family will be found in O'Grady's Strafford.

V. Hambleton.

Genealogical writers, like Sir Robert Douglas and others,affirm that the Hamil- tons derive their origin from the Norman race of De Bello Monte, Earls of Leicester, through the Lords of the Manor of Ham­bleton in co. Leicester. —Burke’s Peerage, &c., sub nomine ‘Abercorn.’ Hamilton, co. Lanark, from which many Scotsmen directly derive their surname, was Hamelton as early as 1290; previously it was Cadyow.

Previous to the reign of Robert II. the whole parish was named Cadyow or Cadyou, but after its acquisition by Sir Walter de Hameldon or Hamilton, of Hambleton, in Leicestershire, its name was changed to Hamilton.—Nat. Gaz., sub nomine ‘Hamilton.’

This name came from Scotland with the Plantation of Ulster and became numerous and influential.

A few families so called are really Hamill. Bibl; IF 295; MIF 282* etc; SIF 159

(English, Scottish) One who came from Hambleton (bare or treeless hill), the name of several villages in England; one who lived at Hamela’s farm or enclosure.

A corruption of Hambledon, a manor in Buckinghamshire. William de Hambledon, a younger son of Robert de Beaumont, third earl of Leicester, "is said to have gone about the year 1215 into Scotland, where he was well received by Alexander H. From him sprang all the noble and other Scottish lines of Hamilton.

Local: from the manor of Hambleton in Buckinghamshire. The family are descended from Sir William de Hambleton, third son of Robert Earl of Leicester, descended from the Earls of Mellent in Normandy. This Sir William de Hambleton having slain John de Spencer in a rencontre, fled from the court of Edward H, to Scotland; being closely pursued, he and his attendant changed clothes with two woodcutters, and taking their saws, were in the act of cutting through an oak tree, when their pursuers passed by, perceiving his servant notice them, Sir William cried, "Through." He afterwards married the daughter of Gilbert, Earl of Strathern, and received from Robert Bruce the lands of Kedzow in Lanarkshire; and assumed for his crest an oak tree with a saw through it, and for his motto, the word "Through."

Originally Hambleton, from the manor of Hambleton, in Buckinghamshire. William, third son of Robert, third Earl of Leicester, took that surname from the place of his birth, as above. He was the founder of the family of that name in Scotland, whither he went about the year 1215. The name is derived from Hamell, a mansion, the seat of a freeholder, and dun, an enclosure, a fortified place, a town.

Gislebert, Lord of Blosseville (now Blouville), Normandy, in 1086 held Newton and Brayfield, Bucks, and Harold and Falmersham, Beds, from the Countess Judith (Domesd.). William de Blosseville was of Beds 1180 (Rot. Pip.). Robert de B., his son, c. 1150 granted lands at Harold, Turvey, and Lavendon to Harold Abbey. Jordan de Blosseville, brother of Robert, possessed the estates of Newton-Blosseville, &c., in Bucks, and was in 1157 Viscount of Lincoln. He probably held the office of seneschal of the great Crown demesne of Hameldon, Bucks, and thence was named 'De Hameldon,’ and under that name he held lands, 1165, from the see of Durham (lab. Nig.), and in 1156 he had a Crown grant of lands in Surrey (Rot. Pip.). He had two sons: 1. Gilbert de B., who occurs in Normandy c. 1180 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). 2. Thomas. Thomas de Hameldon occurs in Northumberland (where the family had estates), 1170 (Hodgson, iii. iii. 16, 18). He had issue-1. Robert; 2. Roger de Hameldon, who occurs in Northumberland c. 1200 as security for the Abbot of Kelso (Ib. ii. ii. 256), and in Normandy as Roger de Blosseville (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). Robert de Hameldon, the elder son, occurs as a knight of Northumberland 1207 (Ib. ii. ii. 148,258). He was also Lord of Newton-Blosseville 1203-9 (Lipscombe, Bucks, iv. 257), and occurs in a suit in that county 1199 (Rotuli Curiae Regis). His son, Gilbert de Blosseville, or de Hameldon, was Lord of Newton-Blosseville 1254, when he sold it to another branch of the family (Lipscombe). He also possessed the estates in Surrey (Testa de Neville); and holding his lands from the Honour of Huntingdon, and therefore from the kings of Scotland, he received a settlement in Scotland 13th cent., and in his latter years became an ecclesiastic (Chart. Paisley). His elder son, Walter Fitz- Gilbert de Hameldon, was one of the barons of Scotland, and obtained the barony of Cadzow, afterwards Hamilton. From this line descend the Dukes of Abercorn, the first Dukes of Hamilton, and many other noble families of the name.

A location name in Scotland. Or Hambleton, Lincolnshire; Hamelton, Yorkshire.

Hamilton: of Norman descent, and derive from Walter FitzGilbert. The power and consequence of the Hamiltons were of comparatively late date, not before the royal marriage by which they acquired the earldom of Arran.