Heart History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

The Irish name Heart was originally written in a Gaelic form as O'h-Airt, which connotes a descendant of Art. 1

Specifically, the family claim descent through "Art Eanfhear, who is number 81 on the 'Line of Heremon," and son of the Monarch Conn of the Hundred Battles." He was at times called "The Solitary," as he was the only one of his father's sons that survived; his two brothers Conla Ruadh and Crionna, having been slain by their uncles. His grief was so strong that in some writings, he was referred to as "Art, the Melancholy." 2

The name literally means "a bear, a stone; noble, great, generous; hardness." 3

Early Origins of the Heart family

The surname Heart was first found in County Meath (Irish: An Mhí) anciently part of the kingdom of Brega, located in Eastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where they were of the southern Ui Neill. Before the Anglo-Norman invasion of the 12th century, their chiefs were known as the lords of Teffia.

Early History of the Heart family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heart research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heart Spelling Variations

Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Heart were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Hart, O'Hart, Harte, MacArt, McArt, MacCart, McCart and many more.

Early Notables of the Heart family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heart Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heart migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Heart family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Heart Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Abraham Heart, who landed in Maryland in 1668 4

Heart Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Michael Heart, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1754 4

Heart Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Timathy Heart, who arrived in Texas in 1829 4
Mary Heart, who landed in Texas in 1829 4
Felix Heart, who landed in Texas in 1829 4
Jean Heart, who arrived in New York in 1837 4
Matthew Heart, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1839 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Heart migration to Australia +

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

Heart Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Heart, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1839 5

The Heart 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: Fortis et fideliter
Motto Translation: Brave and faithful.

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Hooghly.htm