Show ContentsHayek History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hayek is a name whose ancestors lived among the Picts, a tribe in ancient Scotland. The Hayek family lived in ancient chronicles where the tradition relating this distinguished Pictish family of Hay begins during an attack by the Danes in the reign of Kenneth III of Scotland in 980. The defeated Scottish army retired through a narrow pass near Lochnarty in Perthshire which was later defended by a local farmer and his two sons. Upbraiding the retiring Scottish army, the farmer rallied the retreating Scottish and eventually defeated the Danes. They took the yokes from the oxen with which they were ploughing, and so belaboured the invaders as to drive them from the field, amidst shouts of Hay! Hay! The King rewarded the family with many grants of land including the Carse of Gowrie on the River Tay, traditionally marked by the limit of a falcon's flight, six miles in length. There is a monument still extant called the Falcon's Stone marking the falcon's place of rest. [1] The king also assigned three shields or escutcheons for the arms of the family, to intimate that the father and his two sons had been the three fortunate shields of Scotland.

Early Origins of the Hayek family

The surname Hayek was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, but looking further back we find Hay family of Normandy was of considerable rank and importance in the year 823 AD.

Significantly, the family held a Coat of Arms from ancient times that consisted of three red shields on a silver background. They also held many baronies, including the Castle and Barony of La Hai-du-puits in Coutances from whence the Sire-de-la-haie came.

He accompanied Duke William of Normandy in his conquest of England and was granted vast estates in Sussex, Essex and Suffolk, as recorded in the Domesday Book. He died in 1098, his daughter marrying her cousin Robert de la Haie, Count of Mortain. William de Haya, who first settled in Scotland was probably Robert's son, and he witnessed charters by King Malcolm IV in 1160 AD. [2]

Early History of the Hayek family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hayek research. Another 250 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1255, 1258, 1309, 1333, 1342, 1403, 1406, 1418, 1419, 1450, 1456, 1508, 1543, 1564, 1568, 1572, 1577, 1579, 1588, 1591, 1594, 1599, 1625, 1634, 1645, 1660, 1668, 1697, 1704, 1706, 1713 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hayek History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hayek Spelling Variations

The appearance of the printing press and the first dictionaries in the last few hundred years did much to standardize spelling. Prior to that time scribes spelled according to sound, a practice that resulted in many spelling variations. Hayek has been spelled Hay, Haye, Haya, Mac Garaidh (Gaelic) and others.

Early Notables of the Hayek family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Sir Gilbert de la Haye (d. 1333), Lord High Constable of Scotland from 1309; Gilbert Hay (c.1403), Scottish poet and translator, author of "The Buik of King Alexander the Conquerour" and other works; Sir Thomas de la Hay (c. 1342-1406), Lord High Constable of Scotland, third member of the Hay family to hold this post, his predecessor was David Hay; John Hay, 1st...
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hayek Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hayek Ranking

In the United States, the name Hayek is the 18,666th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]

Ireland Migration of the Hayek family to Ireland

Some of the Hayek family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Hayek migration to the United States +

The expense of the crossing to the North American colonies seemed small beside the difficulties of remaining in Scotland. It was a long and hard trip, but at its end lay the reward of freedom. Some Scots remained faithful to England and called themselves United Empire Loyalists, while others fought in the American War of Independence. Much of this lost Scottish heritage has been recovered in the last century through Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Hayek:

Hayek Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Pautros Hayek, aged 11, who landed in America, in 1895
Hayek Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Ernst Hayek, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Hayek (post 1700) +

  • Friedrich von Hayek CH (1899-1992), Austrian-born economist and philosopher, co-recipient of the 1974 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • Julie Lynne Hayek (b. 1960), American beauty queen and actress who was Miss USA 1983
  • Salma Hayek (b. 1966), Mexican actress, television director, and television and film producer named a Knight of the French Legion of Honor in 2012
  • Nicolas George Hayek (1928-2010), co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Swatch Group
  • August von Hayek (1871-1928), Austrian botanist and a professor at the University of Vienna


The Hayek 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: Serva jugum
Motto Translation: Keep the yoke.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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