Harryston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Harryston is one of the oldest family names to come from the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the personal name Henry. The personal name Henry arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings, killing King Harold, the last Saxon King of England. It is of Germanic origin, and arrived with the wave of immigration that followed King William into England from continental Europe. The surname Harryston is derived from a diminutive form of the name, Harry. The name means "the son of Henry."

One source has an interesting note: "This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Harry,' this being the English attempt at pronouncing the French Henri. Thus Harry is not a nickname, of Henry, but the English representative form. Hence our endless Harrisons, not Henrysons." 1

Early Origins of the Harryston family

The surname Harryston was first found in Lancashire 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.

Early History of the Harryston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harryston research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1579, 1583, 1590, 1606, 1621, 1640, 1655, 1656, 1660, 1669, 1685, 1713, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Harryston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harryston 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 Harryston has undergone many spelling variations, including Harrison, Harryson, Harieson and others.

Early Notables of the Harryston family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir John Harrison (c. 1590-1669), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1669, supporter of the Royalist side in the English Civil War; John Harrison (1579-1656), a prominent inhabitant of Leeds in Yorkshire, England, in the 16th and 17th century, variously as one of the early woollen cloth merchants...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harryston Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Harryston family to Ireland

Some of the Harryston family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 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 Harryston 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 Harryston were among those contributors: Harmon Harrison settled in Virginia in 1607; 13 years before the "Mayflower," along with Easter Harrison in 1684; Edward in 1654; Elizabeth in 1650.

The Harryston 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: Vincit qui patitur
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)