Clinch
Gloucestershire, England up to 1846
Fowler
Devon, England up to 1906
Martin
Southwark, Surrey, England up to 1875
Howlett
Surrey, England up to 1880, & New Zealand
Plum
Surrey, England up to 1910, & Australia
Bousfield
London, England up to 1850
Godwin
Gloucestershire, England up to 1820
Bowstead
Bermondsey, Southwark, London from 1873
Clinch Genealogy
Reference books state that "Clinch' is an English name being a variation of a word meaning "top of a hill", or associated with a "dweller by the hill".
Until 1992 I was under the impression that my South London family's ancestors came from Ireland. I now know differently having traced my Clinch line back to the mid eighteenth century in Gloucestershire, England. Principally the towns of Fairford and Tewkesbury. There were also Clinch groups in other areas of Gloucestershire including Avening where one line emigrated to Philadelphia, USA in 1804. At present I have not connected these to my own family line. There are several researchers in the USA who are descendants from the Avening family. The USA also has the Clinch Valley and Clinch River in Virginia.
Clinch is also found throughout other areas of England especially Kent. Outside of England Clinch groups can be found in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, USA, and New Zealand. One London family group emigrated to Temuka in New Zealand's South Island in the 1860s. One of these was named Thomas, which was a common family name with my forbears. This gave me hope that we may be related, but alas I have found nothing to connect us and now realise that Thomas was a very popular name with many families.
In 1846 my Clinch ancestors travelled from Gloucestershire down to Southwark in Surrey. This is part of London just south of the River Thames. My family lived in this area for 130 years, my own father being born in Bermondsey. There are also several other London family groups of Clinch.
Other Clinches with whom I have communicated appear to have similar family backgrounds and unfortunately it seems we mainly evolved from humble, not noble, families. This does not help when delving into the mysteries of the past for we were not worthy of specific mention in ancient documents, nor buried in Abbeys with monuments that lasted, nor painted on canvas so that future ancestors could see what we looked like.
Like all who have embarked upon Genealogy research I find it is like a huge mystery novel full of twists, turns and revelations. Some mysteries I may never solve and so much time is needed to explore and research the amazing trails that are stumbled across. But it is a challenge and fascinating.
If you have any interest in the following family names I would be pleased to hear from you. Possibly we may have information to assist each other.