Harter History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe Anglo-Saxon name Harter comes from the family having resided in Upper Hardres or Lower Hardres, near Canterbury referred to as Hardres. Both parishes dates back to Saxon times where they were collectively known as Haredum in 785. 1 By the Domesday Book of 1086, the parishes were known as Hardes. 2 The place names literally mean "place at the woods," from the Old English "harad." 1 Early Origins of the Harter familyThe surname Harter was first found in Kent, where family members were Lords of the manor Lyminge. The earliest recorded ancestor is Robert de Hardres, who lived during the reigns of Edward the Confessor and William the Conqueror. He held his lands from the Archbishop of Canterbury, which consisted of a church, a mill, and a fishery of forty eels, as recorded in the Domesday Book. 2 "There are two parishes in that county so called, and Hardres Court was the family seat down to the extinction of the baronetcy in 1764. The family derived from Ardres in Picardy and conferred their name upon the Kentish localities-a circumstance of rare but not of unique occurrence. "3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family, both in Kent: Gunnora de Hardres; and Robert de Hardres. 4 Early History of the Harter familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harter research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1610, 1635, 1642, 1660, 1664, 1669, 1673, 1676, 1679, 1681, 1686, 1688, 1718, 1736 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Harter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Harter Spelling VariationsHarter 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. Spelling variants included: Hardress, Hardres, Hardresse, Hardrese, Harders and many more. Early Notables of the Harter familyDistinguished members of the family include Sir Richard Hadres of Kent, Baronet, who was buried in London in 1676; and Sir Thomas Hardres (1610-1681), an English barrister and politician, Member of Parliament for Canterbury, Kent (1664), King's Serjeant (1679). He was... Harter RankingIn the United States, the name Harter is the 3,572nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5 However, in France, the name Harter is ranked the 7,323rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 6
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 Harters to arrive on North American shores: Harter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Harter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
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: Harter Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
St. Francis Dam
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