Harlen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The lineage of the name Harlen begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in the village of Horlands, that can be traced to numerous places round England, including Harland Edge in Derbyshire and Harland Wood in Sussex. This surname was originally derived from the Old English words har and land, which means that the original bearers of the surname lived in the land that was infested with hares.

Early Origins of the Harlen family

The surname Harlen was first found in Middlesex where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Harlen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harlen research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1208, 1235, 1330, 1384, 1411, 1425, 1459, 1500 and 1664 are included under the topic Early Harlen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harlen Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Harlen has undergone many spelling variations, including Harland, Hoarland, Hoareland, Hoorland, Hooreland, Horland, Horlands, Harlin, Harlind and many more.

Early Notables of the Harlen family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Hugh Herland (1330-1411), a 14th-century medieval English carpenter, the chief carpenter to King Richard II, best known pieces is the hammer-beam roof at Westminster Hall, regarded as one of the greatest carpentry achievements of the time, worked for William of Wykeham at New College, Oxford (c. 1384), commissioned by royalty to work on...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harlen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Harlen family to Ireland

Some of the Harlen 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.

Harlen migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Harlen were among those contributors:

Harlen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Harlen, aged 24, who arrived in Missouri in 1846 1

Harlen 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:

Harlen Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Harlen, aged 36, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
Emma Harlen, aged 36, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
Ezekiel Harlen, aged 11, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
Jessie Harlen, aged 9, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
Sophy Harlen, aged 7, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Harlen (post 1700) +

Vaughn Harlen Hebron (b. 1970), former American football running back in the National Football League
J Harlen Bretz (1882-1981), American geologist, first to recognize evidence of the Missoula Floods, also known as the Bretz Floods

The Harlen 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: Per juga per fluvius
Motto Translation: Through precipices and torrents.

Citations +

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)