Show ContentsHuskey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

When the ancestors of the Huskey family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Wiltshire. Their name, however, generally derives from the name of the area of Houssaye in the Seine-Maritime region of Normandy. Another equally valid but less common derivation shows that some in some cases the name finds its roots in the word hussey, which was a Old English nickname for a woman who was the head of her own household. "The surname is not to be associated with the modern meaning of hussy." [1]

Looking again in Normandy, France, we found in the Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae, "Osbert de Hussey, who was living in 1180, was so named from le Hozu, a fief in the parish of Grand Quevilly near Rouen. One Henry de la Hosse or Heuze held, inter alias, the lands of Hosse." [2] It was "found written De la Hossé or Heuzé, De Hosa, and De Hoese," at that time. [3]

Early Origins of the Huskey family

The surname Huskey was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where early Latin spellings of the name prevailed. Walter Hosed, William Hostus were both registered at that time. [4] Often, the name evolved to the name Hose as noted in 1225 where Hubert de Hoese (Hose or Hussey) was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (1235-c. 1241.)

"William Hosed or Hostus held Charlcomb, in Somersetshire, of Bath Abbey, as well as other manors in the county: and the first lords of Bath-Eaton were of this family." [5]

Henry Hoese, Huse was listed as a Knights Templar in Oxfordshire in 1153 and 1185. Geoffrey Hoset (Hose) was recorded in the Pipe Rolls for Warwickshire in 1168 and later, William Hose, Huse was found in the Assize Rolls for Gloucestershire in 1221. [1]

Of particular interest is that two sources, a visitation of Dorset in 1623 and a manuscript in ancient French said to have been in the Abbey of Glastonbury at its dissolution, both mention Hubert Husse, a Norman noble who married Countess Helen, daughter of Richard the 5th Duke of Normandy. Both mention he accompanied William the Conqueror to England and was granted the office of High Constable together with considerable possessions for his efforts during the Conquest. "Certain it is that the family of Hussey appears among the great landed proprietors at a very early period, and soon attained a distinguished position in various parts of the Kingdom." [6]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Geoffrey Husey and Reginald Husey as holding lands in Wiltshire at that time. [7]

"Hussey is an ancient name in Somerset and Wiltshire, and further particulars concerning its origin will be found under 'Wiltshire.' From the mediaeval Huse probably come the Wiltshire name of Howse and the Somerset name of House. However, the Husseys of Wilts were a powerful family during the 14th century, and traced their ancestry back to the Husees, of whom it is said that the original ancestor came over with the Conqueror." [8]

Little Wyrley in Staffordshire was also another ancient family seat. " Wyrley Grove is the ancient seat of the Husseys, who obtained it in marriage with the heiress of the family of Fowke: the mansion stands at the head of a fine lawn, and is a noble and picturesque specimen of ancient architecture." [9]

Early History of the Huskey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Huskey research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1265, 1294, 1295, 1332, 1466, 1495, 1503, 1534, 1537, 1585, 1597, 1611, 1626, 1640, 1641, 1642, 1645, 1648, 1651, 1656, 1657, 1664, 1691 and 1734 are included under the topic Early Huskey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Huskey Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Huskey have been found, including Hussey, Houssey, Huzzy, Huzzey, Hose and others.

Early Notables of the Huskey family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry Hussey (1265-1332), Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex, created 1st Baron Hussey in 1295.Sir William Hussey or Huse (d. 1495), was Chief Justice and was probably a son of the Sir Henry Huse who received a grant of free warren in the manor of Herting in Sussex in the eighth year of Henry VI. [10]John Hussey Lord Hussey (1466?-1537), was the eldest son of Sir William Hussey [q. v.], by Elizabeth his wife; he is referred to as a knight in his mother's will, which is dated in 1503. [10]Sir...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Huskey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Huskey Ranking

In the United States, the name Huskey is the 4,249th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. [11]

Ireland Migration of the Huskey family to Ireland

Some of the Huskey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Huskey migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Huskey were among those contributors:

Huskey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Anne Huskey, who landed in Virginia in 1711 [12]
Huskey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Harley A. Huskey, aged 32, who settled in America, in 1912
  • Kathleen Huskey, aged 3, who immigrated to the United States from Chicago, in 1913
  • Marion Huskey, aged 4, who immigrated to Chicago, in 1913
  • Walter D. Huskey, aged 21, who immigrated to America, in 1921

Contemporary Notables of the name Huskey (post 1700) +

  • Harry Douglas Huskey (1916-2017), American computer design pioneer; he perhaps built the first "personal" computer in the world, inducted as a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery in 1994
  • Timothy Huskey (1948-2007), American helicopter pilot awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
  • Roy Milton Huskey (1956-1997), award-winning prominent American upright bass player
  • Robert Leon "Butch" Huskey (b. 1971), American former professional baseball player


Suggested Readings for the name Huskey +

  • Smoky Mountain Clans by Donald B. Reagen.

  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. 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
  6. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  7. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  8. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  9. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  10. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  11. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  12. 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)


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