Hagert History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

The name Hagert originated among the descendants of the ancient Pictish clans. It is derived from the Gaelic form Mac-an-t-sagairt, which means son of the priest. Patronymic names often substituted the name of a saint or other revered religious figure in place of a devout bearer's actual father. However, the patronym Hagert often denotes actual paternity in this case, since the marriage of clerics in minor orders was permissible, although the marriage of priests was declared illegal and invalid during the 12th century.

The etymology of the name is much in debate. One source notes the "family are supposed to be derived from the Ogards of co. Hertfordshire." or the name "Haggard is a corruption of "hay-garth," a rick yard, and is so employed in Hall and Holinshed, as well as in several provincial dialects, but most probably, an ancient baptismal name which occurs in Domesday as Acard and Acardus." 1

Early Origins of the Hagert family

The surname Hagert was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, 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.

The Scottish branch of the family was recorded quite late as "the name occurs in Suffolk in thirteenth century as Hacgard." 2 3

One of the first records of the family was found in Worcestershire, England where Alice Haggard was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1275. 4 In this case, the name may have been derived from the Middle English and Old French word hagard which means 'wild, untamed.'

Early History of the Hagert family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hagert research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1723 is included under the topic Early Hagert History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hagert Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, there was no basic set of rules and scribes wrote according to sound. The correct spelling of Scottish names were further compromised after many haphazard translations from Gaelic to English and back. Spelling variations of the name Hagert include Haggard, Hagard, Hagger, Hagart, Haggart, Hager and many more.

Early Notables of the Hagert family

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

Hagert migration to the United States +

Scots left their country by the thousands to travel to Australia and North America. Desperate for freedom and an opportunity to fend for themselves, many paid huge fees and suffered under terrible conditions on long voyages. Still, for those who made the trip, freedom and opportunity awaited. In North America, many fought their old English oppressors in the American War of Independence. In recent years, Scottish heritage has been an increasingly important topic, as Clan societies and other organizations have renewed people's interest in their history. An examination of passenger and immigration lists shows many early settlers bearing the name of Hagert:

Hagert Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Georg Hagert, aged 16, originally from Sweden, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Hermann" from Bremen, Germany 5

Hagert Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

W. Hagert, aged 19, arrived in New York City in 1921 aboard the ship "Herman Frash" from Cette, France 5

Hagert migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hagert Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Hagert, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Frankfield" departing 29th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 9th August 1847 but he died on board 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Hagert (post 1700) +

Henry Schell Hagert (1826-1885), American lawyer, writer, and poet; a nisi prius lawyer, he served as District Attorney of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1878-1881)

The Hagert 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: Modeste conabor
Motto Translation: I will attempt moderately.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 78)