Hardyman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Hardyman is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was a name for someone who was a person with a tough character or perhaps for a person who would be strenuous and complete in their endeavors. The name is derived from the Old English words heard, which meant hard, and mann, which meant man. In keeping with this meaning, Hardiman was the first practical powered exoskeleton, by General Electric in 1965. There is another explanation for the origin of the name; it could be occupational, and be derived from the Old English heord, which meant herd, and could refer to the occupation of cowherd or shepherd. The records of the name found in Lancashire seem to follow this form. This makes this name a good example of an English polygenetic name; that is, a name with more than one origin taken on by unrelated groups of people. And yet another source claims the name was a nickname for "a man of courage and bravery." 1

Early Origins of the Hardyman family

The surname Hardyman was first found in Yorkshire where by far the most early records of the name was found. In this case, the "surname is derived from an occupation as in 'the servant of Hardy'." 2 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list the following: Henricus Hardyman; Radulfus Hardyman and Ricardus Hardyman. "Every town in Yorkshire has one or two Hardmans in its directory, which is the settled modern form." 2

Early History of the Hardyman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hardyman research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1575 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Hardyman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hardyman Spelling Variations

Hardyman has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Hardyman have been found, including Hardman, Hardeman, Hardyment, Hardymen, Hardiman and others.

Early Notables of the Hardyman family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

John Hardyman, prebend of Chester in 1563; and John Hardyman who was buried at St. Michael, Cornhill in 1575

Migration of the Hardyman family to Ireland

Some of the Hardyman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hardyman migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Hardymans to arrive on North American shores:

Hardyman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Hannah Hardyman, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1683-1684 3

Hardyman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Hardyman, aged 25, who arrived in America in 1821 3

Hardyman migration to Australia +

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

Hardyman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Charles Hardyman, Welsh convict from Glamorgan, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 4

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826