Hartwright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Hartwright comes from when its first bearer worked as a maker of chests, or other pieces of furniture. Wright is a word for a cabinet maker, or more generally a worker in wood. The element "ark" is derived from the Old English arc, meaning "ark, chest," and "wright" which is derived from the Old English wyrhta, meaning "craftsman, maker."

Early Origins of the Hartwright family

The surname Hartwright was first found in Derbyshire, where the Hartwright family held a family seat from very early times, long before the Norman Conquest of the Duke of Normandy, in 1066. They were the makers of chests.

Early History of the Hartwright family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hartwright research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1732, 1769 and 1792 are included under the topic Early Hartwright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hartwright 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 Hartwright include Arkwright, Arkright, Artrick, Artrip, Hartwright, Hartrick and many more.

Early Notables of the Hartwright family

Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hartwright Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hartwright 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 Hartwright or a variant listed above: John Arkwright, who settled in Jamaica in 1685.

The Hartwright 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: Multa tuli fecique
Motto Translation: I have endured and done much.