Harringt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient history of the Harringt name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided at a local named Harrington, in Cumberland. Today, Harrington is on the Cumbrian coast with a population of about 5000. There is a small hamlet named Harrington in Lincolnshire and a small village and civil parish in Northamptonshire so named. The name was derived from the Old English Hoeferingtun which meant "settlement associated with Hoefer" or "settlement on stony ground". 1

Early Origins of the Harringt family

The surname Harringt was first found in Cumberland, where the first record of the name was Robert de Heverington in the reign of Richard I (1189-1199). William de Harinton was listed in the Assize Rolls on Lancashire in 1202 and Richard de Harington was listed in the Rotuli Hundredorum of 1274. John Harington was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. 2 A few years later, Ricardus de Heryngton was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax records of 1379. 3

Early History of the Harringt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harringt research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1275, 1328, 1347, 1357, 1363, 1406, 1523, 1539, 1560, 1607, 1611, 1612, 1613, 1627, 1646, 1653, 1654, 1655, 1656, 1664, 1674, 1677, 1680, 1693 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Harringt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harringt 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 Harringt include Harrington, Harington and others.

Early Notables of the Harringt family

Distinguished members of the family include

John Harington, 1st Baron Harington (d. 1347); John Harington, 2nd Baron Harington (1328-1363); Robert Harington, 3rd Baron Harington (1357-1406); Sir James Harrington or Harington, 3rd Baronet of Rid...
William Harrington (d. 1523), was an English divine, son of William Harrington, of Newbigging, Cumberland. 4
Sir John Harington (or Harrington) (1560-1612), of Kelston, was an English courtier, author and translator, popularly known as the inventor of the flush toilet. He became prominent at Queen Elizabeth...
John Harrington, first Lord Harington of Exton (d. 1613), was the eldest son of Sir James Harington, kt., of Exton Hall, Rutlandshire. 4
James Harrington or Harington (1611-1677), was a political theorist, eldest son of Sir Sapcotes Harrington of Rand, Lincolnshire, by his first wife, Jane, daughter of Sir William Samwell of Upton, Nor...
James Harrington (1664-1693), was an English lawyer and poet, son of James Harrington of Waltham Abbey, Essex. 4

Migration of the Harringt family to Ireland

Some of the Harringt 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 Harringt 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 Harringt or a variant listed above: Edward Harrington who arrived in Virginia in 1606; 14 years before the "Mayflower"; Charles Harrington settled in Virginia in 1663; Elias Harrington settled in Virginia in 1635.

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print