Show ContentsArlan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Arlan family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in the village of Horlands, that can be traced to numerous places round England, including Harland Edge in Derbyshire and Harland Wood in Sussex. This surname was originally derived from the Old English words har and land, which means that the original bearers of the surname lived in the land that was infested with hares.

Early Origins of the Arlan family

The surname Arlan was first found in Middlesex 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 Arlan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arlan research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1208, 1235, 1330, 1384, 1411, 1425, 1459, 1500 and 1664 are included under the topic Early Arlan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arlan Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Arlan include Harland, Hoarland, Hoareland, Hoorland, Hooreland, Horland, Horlands, Harlin, Harlind and many more.

Early Notables of the Arlan family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Hugh Herland (1330-1411), a 14th-century medieval English carpenter, the chief carpenter to King Richard II, best known pieces is the hammer-beam roof at Westminster Hall, regarded as one of the greatest carpentry achievements of the time, worked for William of Wykeham at New College, Oxford (c. 1384), commissioned by royalty to work on...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arlan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Arlan family to Ireland

Some of the Arlan 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.

Migration of the Arlan family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Arlan or a variant listed above: George Harland who settled in Virginia in 1642; William Harland arrived in Fort Cumberland Nova Scotia in 1774; John, Patrick, Jacob Hoar arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860.


Contemporary Notables of the name Arlan (post 1700) +

  • Arlan D. Melendez, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Nevada, 2008 1
  • Arlan P. Francis, American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Newington; Elected 1894 2
  • Arlan Stair, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Dakota, 1948 3
  • Arlan W. Berry, American Democratic Party politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Gilmer County; Elected 1942 4


The Arlan 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: Per juga per fluvius
Motto Translation: Through precipices and torrents.


  1. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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