Hawhant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Hawhant is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Hawhant family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Hawhant family lived in Haughton, Cheshire. The name of this place derives from the Old English word halh, which means nook or recess, and tun, which means village or settlement. 1

Early Origins of the Hawhant family

The surname Hawhant was first found in Cheshire at Haughton (or Haughton Moss), a village and civil parish. This village is by far the largest of the listings of the place name in England. Looking back further, there are at least three listings of the place name Haughton in the Domesday Book in its earliest forms: Hoctum in Nottinghamshire; Haustone in Shropshire; and Halstone or Haltone in Staffordshire. 2

Today Haughton Castle is a privately owned country mansion near the village of Humshaugh, Northumberland and dates back to the 13th century when it was a tower house. It was enlarged and fortified in the 14th century. By the 16th century, the castle had fallen into ruin, but by the early 19th century the ruins were converted into the mansion it is today. Houghton Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England built for British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole.

Another early branch of the family was found at Hooton, again in Cheshire. "This place, in the Domesday Book, is included in the possessions of Richard de Vernon, the Norman Baron of Shipbrook, under whom it was held by a family named Hotone, which became extinct in the male line in the reign of Richard I. It then passed by marriage to Randle Walensis or Welshman, after which alliance, his family occasionally assumed the name of Hotone." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed John de Haleghton, Yorkshire; and Alexander de Houhton, Cambridgeshire. 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls included: Matilda de Halghton, huswyf, webster, 1370; and Willelmus de Halghton, 1379. 4

The Assize Rolls of Staffordshire included: Robert de Haleghton in 1242. 5

Adam de Houghton or Houtone (d. 1389), was Bishop of St. David's and Chancellor of England, "born at Caerforiog in the parish of Whitchurch, near St. David's, but his name clearly shows that his family was of English or Norman origin. Foss's conjecture that he was a son of John de Houghton, Baron of the Exchequer in 1347, seems untenable. Adam de Houghton was educated at Oxford, where he took the degree of doctor of laws. " 6

Early History of the Hawhant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hawhant research. Another 206 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1114, 1130, 1488, 1535, 1548, 1597, 1604, 1605, 1621, 1624, 1642, 1647, 1663, 1691, 1705 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Hawhant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hawhant 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 Hawhant have been found, including Haughton, Houghton, Hoctor, Hector and others.

Early Notables of the Hawhant family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Houghton (1488?-1535), English prior of the London Charterhouse, born in Essex of honourable parents in or about 1488, studied at Cambridge, and took the degrees of B.A. and LL.B. "His parents then wished him to marry, but as he had resolved to embrace the ecclesiastical life, he left them and dwelt in concealment with a devout priest until he could himself take holy orders. " 6Sir Robert Houghton (1548-1624), was an English judge, son of John Houghton of Gunthorpe, Norfolk and was born at Gunthorpe on 3...
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hawhant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hawhant family to Ireland

Some of the Hawhant family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 105 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hawhant family

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 Hawhant were among those contributors: Gerard Haughton settled in Barbados in 1639; Thomas Haughton settled in Virginia in 1635; as well as Robert Haughton in the same year.

The Hawhant 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: Malgre le tort
Motto Translation: Despite the wrong.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print