Show ContentsHartland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Hartland name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Hartland was originally derived from a family having lived in the village of Hartley which was in several English counties including Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Kent, Lancashire, York and Northumberland. This place-name was originally derived from the Old English words hart which means a stag and lea which means a wood or clearing. 1

Of all these places, Hartley in Kent in the oldest as it dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Heoratleag in 843. 2 Another source claims this parish dates back further as "Heortleáh in the 8th century." 3

Early Origins of the Hartland family

The surname Hartland was first found in Yorkshire where "Hartley is a very common West Riding name. It is also established in Lancashire. There are hamlets and townships of the name in the West Riding, Westmorland, Northumberland." 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Ricardus de Hertlay; and Willelmus de Hertelay. They "lived in the parish of Ecclesfield, West Riding of Yorkshire The surname has ramified in an extraordinary manner in the West Riding. The parentage in all probability will have to be sought for in Ecclesfield parish or the immediate neighbourhood." 5

But before these entries, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Brian de Hertheley, Lincolnshire; and Richard de Hertleye, Salop (Shropshire.) 5

Up to the north in Scotland, the name is from "Hartley (Hartecla 1265, Hartcla 1291, Hartla 1306) a manor in the parish of Kirkby-Stephen, Westmorland. Michael de Hardcla or Hartcla was deputy sheriff of Westmorland in 1276 and 1277, and Sheriff of Cumberland in part of the year 1285 and then until 1298. On the execution of his brother Andrew de Hardcla, earl of Carlisle, for treason, he fled into Scotland with a number of his friends." 6

Early History of the Hartland family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hartland research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1191, 1273, 1327, 1379, 1621, 1623, 1691, 1695, 1698, 1705, 1709, 1720, 1757 and 1784 are included under the topic Early Hartland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hartland Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Hartland include Hartley, Hartly, Hartlay, Hartlaye, Hartlie, Hertley, Hertly, Hertlay, Hertelay, Hertheley, Hertleye, Hertlegh, Hartleigh and many more.

Early Notables of the Hartland family

Notables of this surname at this time include: David Hartley (1705-1757), English philosopher, "baptised at Luddenden, Halifax, on 21 June 1705, although his son gives this date of his birth as 30 Aug. 1705. His father, David Hartley, was entered as a servitor of Lincoln College, Oxford, on 1 April 1691, aged 17, where he was described as 'pauperis filius,'...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hartland Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hartland family to Ireland

Some of the Hartland 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.


United States Hartland migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Hartland Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Tho Hartland, who arrived in Virginia in 1649 7
Hartland Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jerem Hartland, who landed in Virginia in 1701 7
Hartland Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Hartland, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 7

Australia Hartland migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hartland Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Hartland, English convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "Almorah" on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia 8
  • Mr. Joseph Hartland, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Enchantress"on 6th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
  • Mr. William Hartland, English convict who was convicted in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 14th October 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • John Hartland, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Glenalvon" in 1838 11

New Zealand Hartland migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hartland Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Catherine Hartland, aged 18, a cook, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Celestial Queen" in 1872

Contemporary Notables of the name Hartland (post 1700) +

  • Shane Hartland Monahan (b. 1974), American former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter
  • Hartland Patrick Monahan (1951-2023), Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 334 games in the National Hockey League (NHL)
  • Hartland de Montarville Molson OC OBE OQ (1907-2002), Canadian statesman, Canadian Senator and member of the Molson family of brewers
  • Hartland Brydges MacDougall (1876-1947), Canadian ice hockey player and businessman

USS Arizona
  • Mr. Alfred J. Hartland, American Seaman First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 12


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. 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)
  7. 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)
  8. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Almorah voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1817 with 180 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/almorah/1817
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/enchantress
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  11. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) EDEN 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Glenalvon.gif
  12. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html


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