Show ContentsHemp History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Hemp comes from when the family resided in Suffolk. The surname Hemp belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Hemp family

The surname Hemp was first found in Sussex where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Hemp family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hemp research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1172 and 1350 are included under the topic Early Hemp History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hemp Spelling Variations

The 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. Hemp has been recorded under many different variations, including Hemstead, Hampstead, Hempstead, Hemsted and others.

Early Notables of the Hemp family

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


United States Hemp 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 Hemp or a variant listed above:

Hemp Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Henry Hemp, who landed in Frederick County, Maryland in 1797 1
Hemp Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Hemp, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1864 1

Australia Hemp migration to Australia +

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

Hemp Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Henry Hemp, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lalla Rookh" in 1840 2


  1. 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)
  2. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LALA ROOKH 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840LallaRookh.htm


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