Hamrick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Hamrick is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The name Hamrick came from the Old French word amauri, which means work-rule or perhaps "valiant and diligent ruler." 1

Early Origins of the Hamrick family

The surname Hamrick was first found in Tours in Normandy, where the name was spelt D'Amery, or Amaury the delicate of Pontoisse, and they settled in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. 2 Consequently, the name was listed as in the Lating form, Haimericus in the Domesday Book. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one listing for the family: Roger Ammary in Bedfordshire. 4

"One branch of this ancient house was long seated at Yatt, co. Gloucester; and another has migrated to the United States, where the name and family of Amory are well known and esteemed." 5

Early History of the Hamrick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hamrick research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1182, 1207, 1221, 1691 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Hamrick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hamrick Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Hamrick are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Hamrick include Amory, Emery, Amery, Ammory, Ammery, Emry and others.

Early Notables of the Hamrick family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Amory (1691-1788), an English-Irish writer best known for his book "Life of John Buncle," and Amory of Knightshaven. He was the son of Councillor Amory, who accompanied William III to Ireland, was made secretary for the...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hamrick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hamrick Ranking

In the United States, the name Hamrick is the 3,126^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Hamrick family to Ireland

Some of the Hamrick 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.

Hamrick migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Hamrick, or a variant listed above:

Hamrick Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Amaryllis Eliza Hamrick, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 7
Clara Hamrick, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1731 7
Paul Hamrick, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 7
Margaretta Hamrick, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1731 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Hamrick (post 1700) +

Samuel J. Hamrick (1929-2008), American spy novelist, who often wrote under the name W. T. Tyler
Charley Hamrick, American NFL football player from the 1930's
John Hamrick (1876-1956), American theater entrepreneur, best known for his Blue Mouse theatres
Chris Hamrick (b. 1966), American professional wrestler
R. A. Hamrick, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Clay County, 1934 8
John J. Hamrick, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Cabell County, 1946, 1948 8
J. Y. Hamrick, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Carolina, 1904 8
H. G. Hamrick, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1940, 1944 8
Fred D. Hamrick, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Carolina, 1924 8
E. A. Hamrick, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Clay County, 1948 8
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Hamrick 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: Amore non vi
Motto Translation: Love not by force

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html