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Hardwick History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Hardwick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Hardwick family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the village of Hardwick near Ashton-cum-Aughton in the county of Yorkshire. The name was originally derived from the Old English word heordewic, when translated refers to the person who dwelled near a sheep farm. 1

Early Origins of the Hardwick family

The surname Hardwick was first found in Yorkshire. Some of the family held estates at Ault-Hucknall in Derbyshire in early times. "The manor of Hardwicke lies on the south side of the parish, and on the border of Nottinghamshire, from which it is separated by the river Meden or Mayden. It was granted by King John, in 1203, to Andrew de Beauchamp: the Hardwickes possessed it for six generations; and Elizabeth, daughter of John Hardwicke, Esq., brought it to Sir William Cavendish. The present Hall of Hardwicke was built by the Countess of Shrewsbury in the reign of Elizabeth; its situation is exceedingly picturesque and beautiful, standing in a fine park containing 621 acres of land, embellished with venerable oaks of most gigantic size. " 2

The hamlet of Kytes-Hardwick has an eponymous significance to the family. "The family of 'Herdwick,' a branch of the 'Hastangs,' took their name from this place, and some of them are supposed to have resided here. John de Herdwick, in the time of Edward III., held several offices of distinction, and in the first of Richard II. was one of the justices of the peace for the city of Coventry. Another John de Herdwick aided Richmond, afterwards Henry VII., at the battle of Bosworth-Field, and, it is said, by his good conduct as a guide to the army, got the earl the advantage in that fight 'of the ground, winde, and sunne.' The manor, at this period called Herdwick-Grembald, was conveyed by him, in marriage with one of his daughters, to William Dingley." 2

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. Robert de Herdewyk was listed in Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, Henry III-Edward I, as was Henry de Herdewyk. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Ermina de Herdwych, Cambridgeshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Alicia de Hardwyk; Agnes de Herdewik and Robertus de Hardewyk. 4 Anketill de Herdewic was listed in the Assize Rolls for Warwickshire in 1221 and Richard de la Herdewyk was registered in Somerset in 1243. 5

"The Hardwicks are established in various parts of England, and in most cases they have taken the name of a place in the county." 6

Early History of the Hardwick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hardwick research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1525, 1527, 1580, 1599, 1608, 1609 and 1621 are included under the topic Early Hardwick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hardwick Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hardwick include Hardwick, Hardwicke, Hartwick, Hartwicke and others.

Early Notables of the Hardwick family

Notables of the family at this time include

Elizabeth Talbot (nee Hardwick) (1527-1608), Countess of Shrewsbury, also known as Bess of Hardwick. She was daughter of John Hardwick of Derbyshire by his wife Elizabeth Leeke
The Hardwicks had arrived in Derbyshire from Sussex by the mid thirteenth century and farmed land granted by Robert Savage, lord of the manor of Slingsby, on the north-east border of Derbyshire, looki...

Hardwick Ranking

In the United States, the name Hardwick is the 3,209^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 7

Hardwick migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hardwick or a variant listed above:

Hardwick Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mattys Hardwick, who landed in New York in 1709 8
John Peter Hardwick, who arrived in New England in 1752 8
James Hardwick, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 8

Hardwick Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter Hardwick, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1837 8
Nicholas Hardwick, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1843 8
William Hardwick, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1870 8
Robert Hardwick, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 8
Henry Hardwick, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1873 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hardwick migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hardwick Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John A Hardwick, who landed in Canada in 1828

Hardwick migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hardwick Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Hardwick, (b. 1810), aged 32, English boot maker who was convicted in Ipswich, Suffolk, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Eden" on 12th March 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island), he died in 1889 9
William Hardwick, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1847 10
Mr. Samuel Hardwick, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Dudbrook" on 17th November 1852, arriving in Western Australia 11
Mr. John Hardwick who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Clara" on 19th March 1857, arriving in Western Australia, Australia 12

Hardwick migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hardwick Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Hardwick, aged 23, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 13
Agnes Hardwick, aged 27, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 13
Miss Elizabeth Hardwick, (b. 1870), aged 4 months, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 14
Mrs. Hannah Hardwick, (b. 1828), aged 42, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 14
Mr. John Hardwick, (b. 1828), aged 42, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hardwick migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 15

Hardwick Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Francis Hardwick, who settled in Barbados in 1680
William Hardwick, who settled in Jamaica in 1685

Hardwick Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

William Hardwick, who settled in St. Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1716

Contemporary Notables of the name Hardwick (post 1700) +

John Michael "Johnny" Hardwick (1959-2023), American Emmy Award winning and four-time Prime Time Emmy Award nominated voice actor, comedian, writer, producer and YouTuber, best known as the voice of Dale Gribble in the animated American television show King of the Hill
Chris Hardwick (b. 1971), American television actor, voice actor, television host, writer, producer, podcaster, and musician, CEO of Nerdist Industries
William Bruce "Billy" Hardwick (1941-2013), American right-handed ten-pin bowler, ranked No. 12 on the 2008 list of "50 Greatest Players of the Last 50 Years"
William Guy Hardwick (1910-1993), American politician, 18th Lieutenant Governor of Alabama from 1955 to 1959
Elizabeth Hardwick (1916-2007), American literary critic, novelist, and short story writer
Philip Charles Hardwick (1822-1892), English architect, son of the architect Philip Hardwick, born on 1 5 June 1792, at 9 Rathbone Place, London
Charles Hardwick (1817-1889), English antiquary, son of an innkeeper at Preston, Lancashire, born there on 10 Sept. 1817
Thomas Hardwick Jr. (1752-1829), English architect and a founding member of the Architects' Club in 1791
Claire Elizabeth "Charlie" Hardwick (b. 1960), English actress best known for playing Val Pollard from 2004 to 2015 and again in 2017 in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, six-time British Soap Award nominated
Philip Hardwick (1792-1870), English architect, known for his work on railway stations and London warehouses including London's demolished Euston Arch and its twin station Birmingham Curzon Street, son of Thomas Hardwick Jr
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Hardwick family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Walter Hardwick, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 16

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Charles Cheever Hardwick, American 1st Class Passenger from New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 17 then 19 17

RMS Titanic

Mr. Reginald Hardwick, aged 21, English Kitchen Porter from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 11 18

The Hardwick Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Cavendo tutus
Motto Translation: Safe by being cautious.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th December 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MARINER 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Mariner.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 23rd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dudbrook
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 11th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clara
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html