Show ContentsHarmitox History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The lineage of the name Harmitox begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in the county of Yorkshire in eastern England. Records show that most, if not all of the bearers of the surname can be traced back to a family living at Hermitage Bridge in Almondbury, near Huddersfield in the 13th century.

Early Origins of the Harmitox family

The surname Harmitox was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Kirkless, a hamlet, in the chapelry of Hartshead cum Clifton, parish of Dewsbury, wapentake of Morley. The hamlet was originally the site of a Cistercian nunnery, founded in the reign of Henry II and later passed to the Pilkingtons and later "to the Armytages, whose mansion formed part of the conventual buildings, till the time of James I., when the family erected Kirklees Hall, the present seat of Sir George Armytage, Bart." 1

Early History of the Harmitox family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harmitox research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1596, 1600, 1629, 1641, 1644, 1652, 1653, 1655, 1660, 1662, 1673, 1677, 1694, 1732, 1736, 1737 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Harmitox History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harmitox Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Harmitox has undergone many spelling variations, including Armitage, Hermitage, Ermytache, Ermitage, Armitach, Hermitack, Armitack and many more.

Early Notables of the Harmitox family

Notables of the family at this time include Timothy Armitage (died 1655), a pastor of the first independent church in the city of Norwich. 2 The Armytage Baronetcy, of Kirklees in the County of York, was created on 15 December 1641...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harmitox Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Harmitox family to Ireland

Some of the Harmitox family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Harmitox family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Harmitox were among those contributors: Godfrey Armitage of Lynn moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1639; and Eleazor in 1669 was living in Lynn, Massachusetts.



The Harmitox 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: Semper paratus
Motto Translation: Always prepared.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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