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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The origins of the Head name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived near a hill or near the source of a stream or the head of a valley. The name was originally derived from the Old English heafod, which meant head. The surname Head 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. Head may have also been a nickname given to someone with a large head or with some other peculiarity of the head.

Early Origins of the Head family

The surname Head was first found in Norfolk, but we must look to Nottinghamshire to find the first listing of the name, Thomas del Heved who was listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 1 The same roll has lists the spelling as Hedde and the old Anglo-Saxon spelling Heved. (BP)

Early History of the Head family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Head research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1609, 1628, 1637, 1641, 1667, 1679, 1686, 1689 and 1737 are included under the topic Early Head History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Head 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 Head were recorded, including Head, Heade, Heads, Heed and others.

Early Notables of the Head family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Head World Ranking

In the United States, the name Head is the 962nd most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. 2 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Head is ranked the 315th most popular surname with an estimated 146 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Head is the 929th popular surname with an estimated 4,249 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Head as 987th with 761 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Head as 764th with 8,769 people. 6

Ireland Migration of the Head family to Ireland

Some of the Head family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 121 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Head 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 Head family emigrate to North America:

Head Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Head, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 7
  • James Head who settled in Virginia in 1636
  • Grace Head, who landed in Virginia in 1654 7
  • Joseph Head, who arrived in Maryland in 1654 7
  • Adam Head, who landed in Maryland in 1659 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Head Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Head, who settled in Virginia in 1774
  • William Head, who settled in Maryland in 1774
  • John Head, who settled in Nantucket Massachusetts in 1775
Head Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Benjamin Head, aged 38, who arrived in Vermont in 1812 7
  • John Head, who arrived in Maryland in 1845 7
  • Martin Head, aged 22, who landed in Missouri in 1848 7
  • Nathaniel Head, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
  • Bridget Head, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1854 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Head migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Head Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Peter Head, who landed in Canada in 1831

Australia Head migration to Australia +

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

Head Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Head, (b. 1794), aged 27, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 8th April 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1833 8
  • Mr. John Head, (b. 1800), aged 26, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 20th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1830 9
  • Mr. John Head, English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
  • Mr. John Head, (b. 1803), aged 24 born in Maker, Cornwall, UK convicted in Devon on 21st March 1827, sentenced for 7 years for stealing from dwelling, transported aboard the ship "Bengal Merchant" in 1828 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 11
  • Mr. Robert Head who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Circassian" on 4th November 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Head 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:

Head Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Edward Head, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Edward Head, aged 26, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
  • Sarah Head, aged 23, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
  • Mr. Edward Head, (b. 1814), aged 26, British agricultural labourer travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 13
  • Mrs. Sarah Head, (b. 1817), aged 23, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Head (post 1700) +

  • Roy Kent Head (1941-2020), American singer, best known for his hit record "Treat Her Right"
  • Luther Dale Head (b. 1982), American professional basketball player
  • Jesse Head (b. 1983), American actor, best known for his role on the Olsen twins' sitcom So Little Time
  • Edith Head (1897-1981), American costume designer who won eight Academy Awards
  • Coatsworth B. Head Jr., American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 12 aerial victories
  • Doris R. Head (b. 1871), American Democratic Party politician, Deputy sheriff; Mayor of Princeton, Indiana, 1914-18 14
  • Daniel O. Head, American politician, Mayor of Kenosha, Wisconsin, 1912-14 14
  • Chris T. Head, American Republican politician, Member of Virginia State House of Delegates 17th District; Elected 2011 14
  • Charles Head, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1960 14
  • Carey Head, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from North Carolina 12th District, 2002 14
  • ... (Another 50 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Royal Oak
  • P. Head, British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 15
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Alfred Head (d. 1912), aged 24, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 16
  • Mr. Christopher Head (d. 1912), aged 42, English First Class passenger from Chelsea, London who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 16
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Frank Bernard Head, American Chief Yeoman Assigned from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 17

Suggested Readings for the name Head +

  • The Head Family According to Vital Record of New Hampshire by Julia E. Head.
  • The Head Family According to Vital Records of Vermont by Julia E. Head.
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. 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)
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
  11. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/tasmanian_convicts_cornish.pdf
  12. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 8th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/circassian
  13. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  14. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  15. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  16. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  17. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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