Show ContentsHadlowe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Hadlowe first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived near Hadlow, a place-name found in Kent and the West Riding of Yorkshire. The place-name Hadlow is derived from the Old English elements hæth, which meant heather, and hlaw, which meant small hill. The place-name as a whole means "small hill where the heather grows." The original bearers of the name probably lived on or near such a hill. 1

Early Origins of the Hadlowe family

The surname Hadlowe was first found in Kent at Hadlow, a village in the Medway valley, near Tonbridge which dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Haslow and was held by Richard de Tonebridge. 2 By 1235, the village was known as Hadlou. 1

Hadlow Castle was built in the late 1780s and is now listed as a Grade I listed country house and tower. Hadlow Tower, known locally as May's Folly, is a Victorian Gothic tower, and one of the largest in Britain.

Early History of the Hadlowe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hadlowe research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1670, 1685, 1686, 1692, 1694, 1699, 1707, 1747 and 1748 are included under the topic Early Hadlowe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hadlowe Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Hadlowe has appeared include Hadlow, Hadlo, Hadelow, Hadloe, Hadllow, Hadlowe, Hadlough and many more.

Early Notables of the Hadlowe family

Distinguished members of the family include John de Hadlo of Kent, a distinguished landholder during the reign of Edward 1st. James Hadow (1670?-1747),was a Scottish controversial writer, born in the parish of Douglas, Lanarkshire, probably before 1670. We presume he is the same James Hadow who published two Latin theses at Utrecht in 1685 and 1686 respectively and was accordingly educated abroad...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hadlowe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hadlowe family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Hadlowe arrived in North America very early: Edea Hadelow, who came to Maryland in 1666 and Thomas Hadloe, also to Maryland, in 1667.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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