Harnett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Thousands of Irish left in their homeland in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, and in the search of a plot of land to call their own. These immigrants arrived at the eastern shores of North America, early on settling and breaking the land, and, later, building the bridges, canals, and railroads essential to the emerging nations of United States and Canada. Many others would toil for low wages in the dangerous factories of the day. Although there had been a steady migration of Irish to North America over these years, the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Harnett or a variant listed above:

Harnett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• John Harnett, who arrived in Virginia in 1643
• Edward Harnett, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1643 3
• Martha Harnett, who landed in Maryland in 1675 3

Harnett Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Bartholomew Harnett, a bonded passenger, who arrived in Virginia in 1734

Harnett Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Maurice Harnett, who was naturalized in Madison County, Illinois in 1854
• Eliza Harnett, who was a passenger aboard the "SS Denmark," when it arrived in New York in 1868
• Eliza Harnett was a passenger aboard the SS Denmark, when it arrived in New York in 1868

Harnett Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Mr. Benjamin John Harnett, (b. 1848), aged 57, Cornish artist travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 9th May 1905 en route to San Francisco, California, USA 4

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Harnett Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Mr. Garret Harnett, aged 56 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Agnes" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 5

Harnett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. Edward Harnett, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
• Maurice Harnett, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1860 aboard the ship "Schah Jehan"

• William Michael Harnett (1848-1892), Irish-American painter whose still lifes of ordinary objects are painted in such a way that the painting can be mistaken for the objects themselves
• Cornelius Harnett (1723-1781), American politician, Delegate to Continental Congress from North Carolina, 1777 7
• Bertram Harnett, American politician, Justice of New York Supreme Court 10th District, 1968 7
• Curtis Melvin "Curt" Harnett (b. 1965), Canadian racing cyclist, competed in four Olympic Games, winning three medals, one silver and two bronze
• Cynthia Harnett (1893-1981), English writer of children's historical fiction awarded the Carnegie Medal in 1951
• John Harnett Noseworthy M.D. (b. 1951), American neurologist, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mayo Clinic from 2009 to 2018