Show ContentsHayslip History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Hayslip name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in a valley noted for having many hazel trees. This name belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. The surname Hayslip is derived from the Old English word hæsel and the Old Norse word hesli, which both mean hazel, and from the Old English word hop, which refers to a valley or a hollow between two hills. [1]

Early Origins of the Hayslip family

The surname Hayslip was first found in Oxfordshire at Islip, a parish, and formerly a market-town, in the union of Bicester, hundred of Ploughley. "This place, now an inconsiderable village, is remarkable as the birthplace of Edward the Confessor, whose father, Ethelred II, had a palace here." [2]

Walter de Islip, who died after 1335, was an English-born cleric, statesman and judge. Born at Islip, he rose to become first Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer

His cousin, Simon Islip, who died in 1366, was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1349 and 1366.

In years later, Yorkshire would prove to be a homestead of the family as John Heslop was listed here in 1414. [3]

We must look north to Scotland to find the lion's share of the family history. Here, the name literally meant "hazel-hope." Alexander Heselihope held land in Edinburgh in 1425, and William Heslihope, or Heslyhop, appears as rector and vicar of the church of Cortoquhy (or Cortochquhy) in 1429 and 1439. Stephen de Heslyhope, presbyter and notary public of Glasgow in 1446, appears again in 1455 as Stephen Heslop. Archibald Heslihop, "vtherwais callit Schir Suythe," had remission for reset of outlawed Rutherfurds in 1501. Thomas Heslop, "pensionario preposito ecclesie parochialis de Houston," is in record in 1525 (REG., 497). John Hesilhop was a witness in Glasgow in 1555 (Protocols, I), Hobe Heslop was a tenant of the abbot of Kelso in 1567 (Kelso, p. 520), Williame Hessilhoip, reidare at Stow, 1574 (RMR.), and Alexander Hasillip appears in Carsfern parish in 1684." [4]

At about this time, "Heslop was the name of several proprietors in the Hexham division in the 17th century; the name is still numerous in the Hexham district." [5]

Early History of the Hayslip family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hayslip research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1366, 1455, 1464, 1480, 1498, 1500, 1503 and 1532 are included under the topic Early Hayslip History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hayslip 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 Hayslip has undergone many spelling variations, including Heaslip, Hislop, Haslop, Haslip, Heslep, Hyslop and many more.

Early Notables of the Hayslip family

Notables of the family at this time include Simon Islip (d. 1366), Archbishop of Canterbury, who derived his name from the village of Islip on the Cherwell, about six miles north of Oxford, where he was probably born. [6]John Islip (1464-1532) was Abbot of the Monastery of Westminster. He claimed descent from Archbishop Simon Islip and it is commemorated today in John Islip Street, Westminster, London. "John entered the monastery of Westminster about 1480, and showed his administrative capacity in minor offices, till in 1498 he was elected prior, and on 27 Oct. 1500 abbot of Westminster. The first business which...
Another 184 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hayslip Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hayslip family to Ireland

Some of the Hayslip 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.


United States Hayslip 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 Hayslip were among those contributors:

Hayslip Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Florence Hayslip, aged 25, who arrived in Long Island City, New York, U.S.A., in 1921
  • Anne Hayslip, aged 33, who arrived in Hollis, N.Y., in 1924

Canada Hayslip migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hayslip Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Cpl. James Hayslip U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1784 [7]

Contemporary Notables of the name Hayslip (post 1700) +

  • Peyton Hayslip (b. 1966), American actress
  • Ben Hayslip, American country music songwriter from Evans, Georgia


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. 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)
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  7. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X


Houseofnames.com on Facebook