This family derive their pedigree from Gamel de Pennington, who was a very considerable person, before and at the conquest (a) as appears by feveral ancient rolls, regifters, and records; from whom, the present Sir Joseph Pennington, is derived, in a lineal descent of numerous ancestors of note” so quotes the author of “The English Baronetage: containing a Genealogical and Historical Account of all the ENGLISH BARONETS, now existing:” Vol iii Part ii printed for Thomas Wolton, at the Three daggers and Queen’s–head, against St. Dunslans – Church, in Fleet-Street, London 1741.” (The footnote (a) reads “Ex inf. Dom. Will-Pennington, Bar, 1726.”) (I presume this means that this information was derived from the home of or directly from William Pennington, Bart, in 1726)

Early Pennington forenames include Gamel, Benedict Ranulf, David and Alan, and trying to trace the early family tree is difficult due to the few documents surviving from this period and the likelihood that names such as Benedict and Gamel are recycled frequently, as happens further down the generations with John, Joseph and William. Gamel even makes a fairly recent reappearance with the 4th Lord Muncaster, born in 1831. We never therefore know in the early records, which Gamel or Benedict is being referred to. Should the author of the “English Baronetage” be correct, then “Penningtons” were an important family in Cumbria before the Norman Conquest. (1066)

• Pennington family tree.doc