Harverd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The surname Harverd is derived from the Old English personal name "Hereweard," which is in turn made up of the elements "here," which meant army, and "weard," which meant "guard." 1

Early Origins of the Harverd family

The surname Harverd was first found in Herefordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Harverd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harverd research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1140, 1159, 1431, 1442, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1545, 1600, 1607, 1625, 1637 and 1638 are included under the topic Early Harverd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harverd Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Harverd has been recorded under many different variations, including Havard, Harvard, Haverd, Harverd and others.

Early Notables of the Harverd family

Distinguished members of the family include John Harvard (1607-1638), English minister who emigrated to America in 1637, but died a year later of tuberculosis. He bequeathed Massachusetts Bay Colony's New College which was later renamed Harvard College in his honor. He was born in the High Street of Southwark...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harverd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harverd migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Harverd or a variant listed above:

Harverd Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Harverd, who landed in Virginia in 1662 2

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)