Show ContentsHare History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Hare has changed considerably in the time that has passed since its genesis. It originally appeared in Gaelic as Mag Fhearadhaigh, derived from the word "fearadhach," possibly meaning "manly." 1

Early Origins of the Hare family

The surname Hare was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they held a family seat from ancient times. 2

Over in Devon, England, "The ' Domesday ' manor of Kari, in the parish of St. Giles-in-the-Heath, was the first recorded seat of the Gary family ; and one branch continued to reside there so late as the reign of Elizabeth. As early, however, as the reign of Richard II. it ceased to be their principal home. Sir William Gary then settled at Clovelly, and his brother Sir John, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, acquired, with many other manors, that of Cockington, only to lose them all by deciding for Richard against the Commissioners. His attainder was reversed in favour of his son Robert, who gained the favour of Henry V. by vanquishing an Aragonese knight in Smithfield. Two generations later the family were again in difficulty. Sir William Gary, grandson of Robert, was an ardent Lancastrian ; and one of those who, after the fatal battle of Tewkesbury, took refuge in the Abbey Church. Two days later the refugees were treacherously beheaded. The usual forfeiture followed; but Sir William's eldest son, Robert, obtained restoration from Henry VII. He was the ancestor of the present stock of Devonshire Carys. From his half-brother spring the ennobled Carys, represented by Lord Falkland." 3

Early History of the Hare family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hare research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1585, 1667 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Hare History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hare Spelling Variations

The spelling of names in Ireland during the Middle Ages was rarely consistent. This inconsistency was due to the scribes and church officials' attempts to record orally defined names in writing. The common practice of recording names as they sounded resulted in spelling variations such as Garry, Garrihy, Hare, O'Hare, O'Heihir, MacGarry and many more.

Early Notables of the Hare family

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

Hare Ranking

In the United States, the name Hare is the 1,885th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 4 However, in New Zealand, the name Hare is ranked the 900th most popular surname with an estimated 815 people with that name. 5


United States Hare migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish migrating out of their homeland in a great measure due to the oppressive imperial policies of the English government and landowners. Many of these Irish families sailed to North America aboard overcrowded passenger ships. By far, the largest influx of Irish immigrants to North America occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These particular immigrants were instrumental in creation of the United States and Canada as major industrial nations because the many essential elements such as the roadways, canals, bridges, and railways required an enormous quantity of cheap labor, which these poor immigrants provided. Later generations of Irish in these countries also went on to make valuable contributions in such fields as the arts, commerce, politics, and education. Extensive research into immigration and passenger lists has revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Hare:

Hare Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James and Susan Hare, who settled in Virginia in 1635
  • Bryan Hare, aged 27, who landed in Virginia in 1635 6
  • Susan Hare, who landed in Virginia in 1638 6
  • Nicho Hare, who landed in Virginia in 1649 6
  • Andrew Hare, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hare Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jarvis Hare, who landed in Maryland in 1740 6
Hare Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Alexander Hare, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1806 6
  • Robert Hare, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1807 6
  • Samuel Hare, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1807 6
  • Bernard Hare, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 6
  • James Hare, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1829 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Hare migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hare Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • John Hare, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1778
  • Lt. Henry Hare U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 7
  • Mr. John Hare U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 7
  • Mr. John Hare U.E. who settled in Osnabruck [South Stormont], Stormont County, Ontario c. 1784 7
  • Mr. John Hare U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1784 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hare Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Samuel H Hare, who arrived in Canada in 1831
  • Ms. Bridget Hare, aged 23 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Champion" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in October 1847 8
  • Miss. Elizabeth Hare, aged 15 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Broom" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on 22nd August 1847 8
  • Mr. Honora Hare, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Champion" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 8
  • Mr. John Hare, aged 2 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Champion" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Hare migration to Australia +

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

Hare Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Hare, English convict from Essex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on October 22nd, 1824, settling in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • James Hare, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on September 21, 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • Mr. Joseph Hare, (b. 1798), aged 38, English ploughman who was convicted in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1875 11
  • Charles Simeon Hare, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Emma" in 1836 12
  • Anna Maria Hare, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Emma" in 1836 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Hare 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:

Hare Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • John Hare, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Mr. Charles Hare, British settler, as the 2nd Detachment of New Zealand Corps of Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Minerva" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th October 1847 13
  • George Hare, aged 34, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872
  • Anne Hare, aged 34, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872
  • Lavinia Hare, aged 34, a needlewoman, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of The Age" in 1874
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Hare 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. 14
Hare Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • John Hare, who arrived in Barbados with his wife and servants in 1679

Contemporary Notables of the name Hare (post 1700) +

  • Truxtun Hare (1878-1956), American sliver and bronze Olympic medalist for decathlon and hammer throw at the 1904 Summer Games
  • Thomas Truxton Hare (1878-1956), American Olympic silver and bronze medalist at the 1900 and 1904 games
  • Raymond Hare (1901-1994), American Foreign Officer, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1950-53) and other Middle Eastern countries
  • William Francis Hare GCMG PC (b. 1906), 5th Earl of Listowel, known as Viscount Ennismore between 1924 and 1931, an Anglo-Irish peer and Labour politician, last Secretary of State for India in 1947 and the last Governor-General of Ghana
  • William Hare (1751-1837), 1st Earl of Listowel, known as Lord Ennismore from 1800 to 1816 and as Viscount Ennismore and Listowel from 1816 to 1822, an Irish peer and Member of Parliament
  • William Hare KP (1801-1856), 2nd Earl of Listowel, known as Viscount Ennismore from 1827 to 1837, an Anglo-Irish peer and Member of Parliament
  • William Hare KP JP, (1833-1924), 3rd Earl of Listowel, known as Viscount Ennismore from 1837 to 1856, an Anglo-Irish peer and Liberal politician
  • John Neville Hare OBE FRGS (1934-2022), English explorer, author, and conservationist born in Bexhill, Kent, known for campaigning for the preservation of the Wild Bactrian camel
  • Mr. Richard Hare, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1631 to 1632
  • Mr. Richard Hare, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1609 to 1610
  • ... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Richard William Hare (1920-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Red Hill, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 15
HMS Dorsetshire
  • Cyril Henry Hare (d. 1945), British Stoker 2nd Class aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 16
RMS Lusitania
  • Miss Bessie Hare, Irish 2nd Class passenger residing in New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 17


The Hare Motto +

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: Fear garbh ar mait
Motto Translation: Here is a good rough man.


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
  3. Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. 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)
  7. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  8. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 32)
  9. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1824 with 9 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1824
  10. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
  12. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emma. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Emma.gif
  13. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  15. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  16. Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
  17. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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