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![Show Contents]() Hear History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Hear familyThe surname Hear was first found in Derbyshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Hope, held by William Peverel, the natural son of King William who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Early History of the Hear familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hear research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1093, 1276, 1510 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Hear History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Hear Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Here, Hear, Heyre, Heyer and others. Early Notables of the Hear familyMore information is included under the topic Early Hear Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Hear migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Hear or a variant listed above:
Hear Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Samuel Hear, aged 33, who arrived in New York in 1719 2
Hear Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Felix Hear, aged 40, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 2
| Hear migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: - Luke Hear, (Hare), found in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1813.
Hear Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Mary Hear, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1829
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- 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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Hear migration to the United States 
Hear migration to Canada 
England
Ireland
