Hartswell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Hartswell family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the parish of Hartwell, found in a number of locations including the dioceses of Oxford and Peterborough, as well as the county of Berkshire.

The Buckinghamshire parish was "the residence of Louis XVIII., and his court, during the stay of that monarch in England, prior to his restoration to the French throne: he gave £100 for the use of the poor. " 1 2

Early Origins of the Hartswell family

The surname Hartswell was first found in Northamptonshire where Hartwell is a village and civil parish bordering Buckinghamshire. The village was listed as Herdeuuelle and Hertewelle in the Domesday Book 3 having been derived from the Old English words heort + wella which meant "spring or stream frequented by deer." 4

Hartwell is also a village in central Buckinghamshire, south of Aylesbury, by the village of Stone but this later reference was later.

Hartwell House is a country house in the village of Hartwell, Buckinghamshire built in the early 17th century. Today the house is owned by the Ernest Cook Trust and is leased to the National Trust.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had three listings of the family: Decennarius de Hertwell, Northamptonshire; Agatha de Hertwell, Buckinghamshire; and Robert de Hertwell, Buckinghamshire. 5

Early History of the Hartswell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hartswell research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1185, 1259, 1273, 1327, 1542, 1543, 1553, 1559, 1562, 1563, 1565, 1567, 1603 and 1606 are included under the topic Early Hartswell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hartswell 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 Hartswell include Hartwell, Harwell, Hartswell, Hardwell and others.

Early Notables of the Hartswell family

Distinguished members of the family include Abraham Hartwell the Elder (fl. 1565), an English poet, born in 1542 or 1543, educated at Eton; he was admitted scholar at King's College, Cambridge, on 25 Aug. 1559, and became a fellow on 26 Aug. 1562; he graduated B.A. in 1563, M.A. in 1567, and resigned his fellowship in 1567. Abraham Hartwell, the younger (1553-1606)...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hartswell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hartswell 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 Hartswell or a variant listed above: Edward Hartwell, who arrived in Virginia in 1638; Jane Hartwell, who also came to Virginia in 1655; Francis Hartwell, who settled in Jamaica in 1686; John Harwell, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

The Hartswell 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: Sorte sua contentus
Motto Translation: Content with his lot.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)