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Show ContentsHitchins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The Hitchins name is an important part of the history of the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Hitchins is derived from the baptismal name Richard. As the naming tradition grew in Europe baptismal names began to be introduced in many countries. Baptismal names were sometimes given in honor of Christian saints and other biblical figures. There are very few Christian countries in Europe that did not adopt surnames from these religious figures.

Early Origins of the Hitchins family

The surname Hitchins was first found in Hertfordshire at Hitchin, a market town and parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Hitchin and Pirton. 1 The place name pre-dates the Norman Conquest as the first record the place was found c. 945 as Hiccam. By the time of the Domesday Book, the town was known as Hiz, and literally meant "place in the territory of the tribe called Hicce. " 2 The river Hiz is nearby and no doubt the river's name was derived from the same. As far as the surname is concerned, the first record of the name was John Hichum who was listed in the Rotuli Hundredorum of 1279 in Oxfordshire. A few years later, the name Hichoun was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1286. 3

Early History of the Hitchins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hitchins research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1321, 1332, 1665, 1675 and 1727 are included under the topic Early Hitchins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hitchins 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 Hitchins were recorded, including Hitchins, Hitchen, Hitchens, Hitchin, Hitchings, Hitchins, Hitching and many more.

Early Notables of the Hitchins family

More information is included under the topic Early Hitchins Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Hitchins 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 Hitchins family emigrate to North America:

Hitchins Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Margaret and Thomas Hitchins, who settled in Virginia in 1663
  • Ann Hitchins, who landed in Maryland in 1666 4
Hitchins Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Francis Hitchins, who landed in New York in 1835 4
  • David Hitchins, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1869 4
Hitchins Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. John Hitchins, (b. 1877), aged 23, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 21st April 1900 en route to Illinois, USA 5

Australia Hitchins migration to Australia +

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

Hitchins Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Hitchins, English convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for 7 years for receiving stolen goods, transported aboard the "Bardaster" on 7th September 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
  • Mr. Thomas Hitchins, (b. 1812), aged 26, English shoe maker who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 25th June 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
  • Mr. William Hitchins, (b. 1814), aged 25, Cornish mason travelling aboard the ship "Andromache" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 31st January 1838 8
  • Mrs. Mary Anne Hitchins, (b. 1809), aged 30, Cornish house servant travelling aboard the ship "Andromache" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 31st January 1838 8
  • Mr. John Hitchins, (b. 1838), aged 1, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Andromache" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 31st January 1838 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Hitchins migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hitchins Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Hitchins, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th September 1853 9
  • Mrs. Dorcas Hitchins, (b. 1831), aged 39, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 9
  • Mr. Martin Hitchins, (b. 1839), aged 31, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 9
  • Mr. Dorcas Hitchins, (b. 1831), aged 39, Cornish settler departing on 29th July 1870 aboard the ship "Merope" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 10
  • Mr. Martin Hitchins, (b. 1839), aged 31, Cornish settler departing on 29th July 1870 aboard the ship "Merope" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hitchins (post 1700) +

  • Richardson Hitchins (b. 1997), American professional boxer
  • Vernon B. Hitchins, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1956 (alternate), 1960 11
  • Richard J. C. Hitchins, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Kingston, 1864-70
  • Geoff Hitchins Ph.D., Emeritus Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University
  • Ada Florence Remfry Hitchins (1891-1972), English principal research assistant of Frederick Soddy, who won the Nobel Prize in 1921 for work on radioactive elements and the theory of isotopes
  • Malachy Hitchins (1741-1809), English astronomer, son of Thomas Hitchins, born at Little Trevince, Gwennap, Cornwall, and was baptised on 18 May 1741 12
  • Derek K. Hitchins (b. 1935), British systems engineer and was professor in engineering management
  • Francis Hitchins, Australian Wool Magnate
  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. 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)
  5. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bardaster
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  8. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
  11. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  12. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
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