Hearl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Hearl family

The surname Hearl was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat on the English/Scottish border. After the Norman Conquest of England many of Duke William's rebellious Barons moved north. The border became a convenient no-man's land. In the 16th century they became known as the 'unruly clans'.

The name Haurell or Harel is found several times in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of 1180-95 and subsequently appears enrolled among the nobility as Sires de Bretteville. 1

Cornwall hold an interesting entry about the family. Lord Borchard de Herle (1268-1305), was a medieval diplomat under the King Edward I. By the time he was 12, his father Lord Borin had died of typhoid fever leaving him to care for his mother and his younger brother. As soon as he turned 18, he abandoned his sick mother and took his father's money and left to go to college at University of Cambridge. His father's legacy of close connections to Edward I led to his early career. This Cornish branch claims descent from "the house of West Hearle in Northumberland." 2

"The manor of St. Day [in the parish of Gwennap, Cornwall] was at a very early period in severalties. The family of Hearle possess one third part, which they have long held." 3

"East Clusion [in the parish of lansallos, Cornwall] now belongs to John Hearle, Esq. of Tregony, in whose family it has been vested about a century." 3

In nearby Devon, "Sir William Herle, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, 1316, certainly lived at Chambercombe, near Ilfracombe, but his birth there is doubtful. " 4

Early History of the Hearl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hearl research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1079, 1142, 1149, 1162, 1301, 1324, 1347, 1385, 1431, 1510, 1559, 1575, 1598, 1600, 1617, 1618, 1622, 1640, 1659, 1661, 1679, 1681 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Hearl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hearl Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Hearl occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Herle, Hearle, Herral, Harrell, Harle, Harel, Heral, Hurl, Hirl, Herrel and many more.

Early Notables of the Hearl family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was William de Herle (d. 1347), was an English judge, son of Robert de Herle, was probably born in Leicestershire, since both his father and he in 1301 and 1324 respectively were summoned by the sheriffs of that county to perform military duty and to attend the great council at Westminster. His lands lay principally in Leicestershire, but through his wife Margaret, daughter and heir of William Polglas and of Elizabeth, heiress of Sir William Champernon, he came into possession of considerable estates in Devonshire. 5 Charles Herle (1598-1659), was a prominent...
Another 101 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hearl Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hearl migration to the United States +

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Hearl, or a spelling variation of the surname include:

Hearl Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Miss Ethel Hearl, (b. 1881), aged 22, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 19th September 1903 en route to St. Louis, Illinois, USA 6

Hearl migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hearl Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Reuben Hearl, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lady Macdonald" 7
Emma Hearl, aged 16, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lady Macdonald" 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Hearl (post 1700) +

Trevor Hearl (d. 2007), British archivist who amassed a vast collection of books and papers relating to the island of Saint Helena from 1580 to 2007 that were received by the Bodleian Library following his death

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
South Australian Register Monday 9th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lady Macdonald 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ladymacdonald1855.shtml