Recorded as Hanington, Hannington, and possibly others, this is a medieval English surname. It is locational from any or all of several villages called Haninngton in the counties of Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire and Lancashire. The origin of the place name is the settlement (tun) of the Hana people (ing), with 'Hana' being a popular personal name. Unlike the later Hans it is not a form of Johan or John, but is from the pre 7th century Olde English 'hana' meaning a male or cock bird, with Hena being the female or hen. The first place name recording is believed to be that of Hannington in Wiltshire in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 where the spelling is given as 'Hanindone'. Many and possibly the majority of place names in Domesday Book are misspelt, the Norman-French clerics being unable to comprehend the Anglo-Saxon pronunciations. This surname is one of the earliest recorded with Adam de Hanington appearing in the pipe rolls of Westmorland in 1327. Later examples are Frances Hannington who married Thomas Gladwin by civil licence in London in 1627, and Samuel Hanington who married Grace Elford at St Georges chapel, Hanover Square, Westminster, in 1794.

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