| ![Show Contents]() Heth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The roots of the Anglo-Saxon name Heth come from when the family resided on a heath, which is an area of level, uncultivated land with poor, coarse, undrained soil and rich deposits of peat or peaty humus. The surname Heth 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. Early Origins of the Heth familyThe surname Heth was first found in Durham where it was first listed as Atte-Hethe, Apud Hethe and Del la Hethe in the Rotuli Hundredorum of 1279. 1 The name was denoted for someone who lived on or by a heath, typically filled with heather. 2 Kirby's Quest for Somerset listed Adam atte Hethe and John atte Hethe during the reign of Edward III. 3 Later in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, Robert del Heth was listed. Thomas Atte-Hethe was rector of Ringstead Parva, Norfolk in 1376 and Ralph atte Heythe was rector of Rockland Tofts, Norfolk in 1398. 4 Robert Heete or Robert of Woodstock (d. 1428), was an early "canonist and civilian, presumably a native of Woodstock, Oxfordshire, became scholar of Winchester College in 1401, and in due course scholar of New College, Oxford, where he graduated M.A. and LL.B. " 5 Early History of the Heth familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heth research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1501, 1563, 1567, 1575, 1577, 1578, 1583, 1585, 1599, 1600, 1615, 1627, 1629, 1643, 1649, 1661, 1664, 1672, 1704, 1728 and 1766 are included under the topic Early Heth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Heth Spelling VariationsThe English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Heth has been recorded under many different variations, including Heath, Hethe and others. Early Notables of the Heth familyNotables of the family at this time include Sir Robert Heath (1575-1649), Attorney General of England, and founder of North Carolina and South Carolina. He was the son of Robert Heath of Brasted, Kent, a member of the Inner Temple and was born at Brasted on 20 May 1575. 5James Heath (1629-1664), was a historian, son of Robert Heath, the king's cutler, who lived in the Strand, was born in London in 1629, and educated in Westminster School. 5Thomas Heath (fl. 1583), was an English mathematician, born in London and was admitted probationer fellow of All Souls, Oxford, in 1567. 5John...
Another 129 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Heth family to Ireland
Some of the Heth family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Heth migration to the United States | + |
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Heth or a variant listed above:
Heth Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Charles Heth, who arrived in Maryland in 1662 6
Heth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Nicholas Heth, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 6
| Heth migration to West Indies | + |
The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 7Heth Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century- Mr. John Heth, (b. 1614), aged 21, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 8
| Contemporary Notables of the name Heth (post 1700) | + |
- William Heth Whitsitt, American Baptist preacher, eponym of The Whitsitt Controversy
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: Espere mieux
Motto Translation: Hope for better.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
- 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.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- 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)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
- Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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Heth migration to the United States 
Heth migration to West Indies 
England
Ireland
