Show ContentsHegge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Hegge name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived near a hedge or enclosure. 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 Hegge was originally derived from the Old English hecg, which meant hedge. 1 2

Early Origins of the Hegge family

The surname Hegge was first found in Kent where John de la Hegge was first listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls lists Walter de la Hegge in London. 3

Edith atte Hegge was listed in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 4

The Assize Rolls of Bedfordshire included Ailmar Hegge in 1227 and a few years later, Robert atte Hegge was listed in the Somerset in the Assize Rolls of 1256. During the reign of King Edward I, Richard de Hegges was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296 and later, Robert del Hegges was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1301. 5

"Hedges is a name that has at present its principal home in Buckinghamshire, though it also occurs in the surrounding counties of Berkshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire. Last century a family of gentry bearing this name resided at Cublington, in Buckinghamshire, and there were then others of the name in Stewkley and Whitchurch (Lips.). The name still occurs in Stewkley." 6

Early History of the Hegge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hegge research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1296, 1599, 1629, 1632, 1649, 1701 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Hegge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hegge Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Hegge were recorded, including Hedge, Hedges, Hegges, Hegge and others.

Early Notables of the Hegge family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Robert Hegge (1599-1629) was an English academic and antiquary from Durham; and Sir Charles Hedges (1649-1714), of Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, an English lawyer and politician, judge in Admiralty Cour...

Ireland Migration of the Hegge family to Ireland

Some of the Hegge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 63 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 Hegge migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Hegge family emigrate to North America:

Hegge Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Lawrence Hegge, who arrived in Virginia in 1657 7
Hegge Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joh Bernd Hegge, who landed in America in 1813-1820 7
  • Gerd Jos Hegge, who arrived in America in 1814-1820 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Hegge (post 1700) +

  • Marthinus F. Hegge, American politician, Delegate to North Dakota State Constitutional Convention from Traill County, 1889 8
  • Per Egil Hegge (1940-2023), Norwegian journalist


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  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)
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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