Herne History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe distinguished English surname Herne comes from several different origins. Firstly, it is derived from the Old English "hyrne," meaning "nook, corner;" in this instance, the name would have been originally borne by someone who lived in a corner residence. Alternatively, the name may be derived from a place name; there is a town called Herne in Kent and a Hirn in Hampshire, and the progenitor of the name may have hailed from one of these towns. Finally, the name may be a variant of the surname Heron. Early Origins of the Herne familyThe surname Herne was first found in Dorset at Hurn, village and civil parish that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Herne. 1 Literally the place name means "place at the angle or corner of land," from the Old English word "hyrne." 2 Holbeach Hurn is a small fenland village in the South Holland district of southern Lincolnshire and Hurn is a tything, in the parish, union, and hundred of Christchurch, Ringwood in the county of Southampton. 3 The first record of the family was found in Hampshire where Gunnora de la Hurn was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1212. Later Walter Atehurne was registered in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1267 and later again, Henry en le Hurne was registered in the Hundredorum Rolls for Berkshire in 1279. 4 In Oxfordshire Ralph in pe Hurne was registered there in 1279 and later, William del Herne was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 4 Early History of the Herne familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Herne research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1212, 1267, 1279, 1327, 1524, 1610, 1611, 1620, 1644, 1670, 1678, 1710, 1711, 1722, 1735 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Herne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Herne Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Herne are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Herne include: Hern, Herne, Hearn, Hearne, Hurn, Hurne, Harn and others. Early Notables of the Herne familyNotables of the family at this time include
Migration of the Herne family to IrelandSome of the Herne family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Herne or a variant listed above: Herne Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Herne Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Herne Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
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