Hattam History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Hattam is a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Hattam family lived in Hatton, Cheshire. Another derivation of the name suggests that it comes from the Germanic personal name Hatto, which is composed of the element hadu, which means strife or contention. 1 Although both are valid, time has confused the two definitions and historians now disagree on which is valid in any individual case.

Early Origins of the Hattam family

The surname Hattam was first found in Cheshire where this "noble family were descended from Sir Adam Hatton, of Hatton, county Cheshire, grandson of Wulfrid, brother of Nigel, who was lord of Halton in the same county, by gift of Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, soon after the Conquest." 2

Early History of the Hattam family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hattam research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1540, 1546, 1555, 1583, 1591, 1605, 1621, 1622, 1624, 1625, 1628, 1629, 1632, 1640, 1658, 1670, 1674, 1682, 1701, 1706, 1783 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Hattam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hattam Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Hattam have been found, including Hatton, Hattons, Hattyn, Hattins, Hattans and others.

Early Notables of the Hattam family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Christopher Hatton KG (1540-1591), an English politician, Lord Chancellor of England and a favourite of Elizabeth I of England. "He was the second son of William Hatton of Holdenby, Northamptonshire, who died in 1546. The family was old, and claimed, though on doubtful evidence, to be of Norman lineage. Hatton was entered at St. Mary Hall, Oxford, probably about 1555, as a gentleman-commoner." 3Sir Thomas Hatton, 1st Baronet (c.1583-1658), was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Corfe...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hattam Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hattam family to Ireland

Some of the Hattam family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hattam migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. 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 Hattam were among those contributors:

Hattam Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Hattam, who landed in New York in 1796 4

Hattam Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. William Hattam, (b. 1881), aged 23, Cornish labourer from St. Buryan, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 24th July 1904 en route to Baltic, Michigan, USA 5

Hattam migration to Australia +

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

Hattam Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Samuel Hattam, aged 36, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Neptune" 6
Mary Hattam, aged 30, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "David Malcolm" 7
Thomas Hattam, aged 54, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Agincourt"

The Hattam 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: Nil conscire sibi
Motto Translation: To have a conscience free from guilt.

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
South Australian Register Wednesday 26 October 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Neptune 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/neptune1853.shtml
South Australian Register Wednesday 5th January 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) David Malcolm 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/davidmalcolm1854.shtml