Guild of One-Name Studies
One-name studies, Genealogy
Study: Vant
Variants: Vaunt
Category: 2 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is well under way, but currently in some countries only.
Guild hosted website: vant.one-name.net
Contact: Mr Ken Toll
The earliest mention I have found, so far, is for Stephen Vant, Bookbinder on 17 October 1379 in The Parish Fraternity Register, Fraternity of the Holy Trinity and SS Fabian and Sebastian (Parish of St Botolph without Aldersgate, London, England).
It seems that in both Kent and Yorkshire Vant was originally Vaunt and the U was mostly dropped by the 1700s. It did persist in some families until the 1800s. Many of the surname dictionaries are indicating that the names Vant & Fant come from the French L'Enfant. This might be true for Fant, but I am convinced that this is not the case for Vant, Fant seems to originate and persist in Ireland - Vant & Vaunt are not found in Ireland apart from the odd import. After further research the origins of the name Vant or Vaunt as it was originally seem to be many! I favour the biblical quotations as, I am sure, they are the oldest and echoed through time as meaning boastful
Vant is a British punk band fronted by Mattie Vant; Neil Vant is a Canadian clergyman and politician; Vant is a Turmite, which is a Turing machine in computer science; In India, Vant is the title for a high rank amongst the ennobled Hindu retainers of the Nizam of Hyderabad, equivalent to the Muslim nobiliary title Molk.
The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language 1775 Volume 2 By John Ash in which all different spellings are preserved, obsolete and uncommon words supported by authorities
Vant can be both a verb and a noun
Vaunt - to boast; Vaunting – the act of boasting, showing with vain ostentation, to play the braggart; Vauntingly – boastfully, ostentatiously [adverb]
The Cambridge Dictionary
Verb: to speak proudly about or praise something, especially in a way that is more than acceptable or reasonable - The local people like to vaunt the glories of their faded past.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary since 1828
Verb – vaunting vaunted vaunts
Intransitive verb: to make a vain display of one's own worth or attainments; Brag; Transitive verb: to call attention to pridefully and often boastfully - people who vaunt their ingenuity; Noun: a vainglorious display of what one is or has or has done; a bragging assertive statement.
Lexico UK Dictionary powered by Oxford
Verb: Boast about or praise (something), especially excessively. ‘he was initially vaunted by the West for his leadership of the country’; ‘an autobiographer is simultaneously vaunted and castigated for revealing more than is deemed proper’. Noun: archaic A boast.
Origin
Late Middle English the noun a shortening of obsolete avaunt ‘boasting, a boast’; the verb (originally in the sense ‘use boastful language’) from Old French vanter, from late Latin vantare, based on Latin vanus ‘vain, empty’.
John Calvin’s Commentaries on Isiah 1-16 By John Calvin
…. Otherwise they would immediately recollect that obedience is all that remains for them to do; [Samuel 15:22] and they would not so insolently vaunt of their exertions, which the Lord looks upon with scorn ….
…. At the same time, he refutes the false boasting by which the Jews were wont to vaunt and exalt themselves, as if they ought to be exempt from chastisement on the ground of their being God’s peculiar people….
In 1881 the Vant population was 197, mainly in the Kent and Yorkshire areas. There were also 32 with the name Vent. By this time Vaunt was almost nonexistent in the UK.
According to a ONS database there were 348 Vants, as well as 93 named Vent in September 2002. This makes Vant the 14784th most common name in England, Wales and The Isle of Man. Again Vaunt was almost non-existent.
The location and frequency of Vent leads me to believe that it is almost certainly a separate name and I have now de-registered it from my study.
All post 1837, England and Wales births, deaths and marriages that have been found are recorded.
All Post 1858 Probate records and wills have been purchased and some early Wills found and purchased
Census returns information 1841-1911 and most of 1921. Vaunt was almost non-existent.
A lot of the 1939 Register is included. Again Vaunt was almost non-existent.
Pre 1837 Parish Record information from Kent, Yorkshire and London.
Some very early original records have been studied.
Some data and information has also been gathered from overseas, mainly USA, New Zealand, Canada and Australia.
Emphasis has been mainly on Vant & Vaunt but all mentions of the other variants are also recorded.
Trees for two major Vant families have been reconstructed & are still being added to, others are in progress.
For future research the intention is to concentrate on the Vants and then follow on with the variants, gathering all the information I can, constructing trees and recording life events worldwide.