Show ContentsHaydon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Haydon name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Haydon was originally derived from a family having lived in one of a variety of similarly-named places. Settlements called Heydon were found in Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire. Cambridge and Norfolk both had places called Heydon, and Haydon Bridge was in Northumberland. The surname Haydon belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Haydon family

The surname Haydon was first found in Norfolk, where Sir Thomas de Heydon (circa 1185-1250) was on record as a judge, who was given the office of "Justice of Eyre," under a provision in the Magna Carta. His son, William de Heydon, remained in Norfolk, continuing the line that obtained estates at Heydon and Baconsthorpe. A younger son of Sir Thomas, Johannes (John) de Heydon, settled in Devon in the 13th century beginning a well known Devon branch of this family name.

Edmund of Hadenham (fl. 1307), the early English chronicler, "was a monk of Rochester, to whom is ascribed, on the authority of William Lambard, the Kentish topographer, a historical work preserved in the Cottonian Library (Nero, D. II.) in the British Museum. This manuscript, according to Wharton, contains a chronicle in one handwriting down to 1307, which is a copy of Matthew of Westminster, excepting that it contains a number of interspersed notices relating to the history of Rochester. " [1]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Richard de Haydon, or Heydon, Yorkshire; John de Haydon, Somerset; and Agnes de Heydone, Oxfordshire. [2]

Early History of the Haydon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Haydon research. Another 163 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1280, 1303, 1327, 1479, 1503, 1574, 1583, 1586, 1623, 1629, 1651, 1653, 1656, 1658, 1667, 1669, 1723 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Haydon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Haydon Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Haydon include Hayden, Haydon, Hadenham and others.

Early Notables of the Haydon family

Distinguished members of the family include John Haidon (d. 1583) Sheriff of London; John Heydon (1629-c. 1667), English philosopher and Rosicrucian (a legendary and secretive Order); as well as Sir John Heydon, English, Governor of Bermuda in 1669.George Heyden (fl. 1723), was an English composer and organist at the church of St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey. On 6 January 1746 he was elected a member of the Madrigal Society. [1]Sir Henry Heydon (d. 1503), was a country gentleman, belonged to an old family seated at Heydon in Norfolk. As early as the thirteenth century one of the family resided in Norfolk, and...
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Haydon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Haydon Ranking

In the United States, the name Haydon is the 8,381st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]

Ireland Migration of the Haydon family to Ireland

Some of the Haydon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Haydon migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Haydon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Haydon, who settled in New England in 1654
  • Thomas Haydon, who landed in Maryland in 1668 [4]
Haydon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Haydon, who arrived in New York in 1836 [4]
  • Albert Haydon, who arrived in Texas in 1850-1906 [4]
  • George Haydon, who landed in Texas in 1850-1906 [4]
  • Mary A Haydon, aged 20, who landed in New York in 1854 [4]
Haydon Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Ainsworth Haydon, (b. 1894), aged 9, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 17th October 1903 en route to Rossland, British Columbia, USA [5]
  • Mrs. Annie Jane Haydon, (b. 1875), aged 28, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 17th October 1903 en route to Rossland, British Columbia, USA [5]
  • Miss Ivy Haydon, (b. 1898), aged 5, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 17th October 1903 en route to Rossland, British Columbia, USA [5]

Canada Haydon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Haydon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mich Haydon, who arrived in Canada in 1812

Australia Haydon migration to Australia +

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

Haydon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Mary Haydon who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Burrell" on 31st December 1831, arriving in New South Wales [6]
  • Mr. William Haydon, (b. 1816), aged 16 who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "England"on 31st March 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1834 [7]
  • Mr. William Haydon, English convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 14th October 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [8]
  • Mr. Thomas Haydon, English convict who was convicted in Exeter, Devon, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 27th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [9]
  • Miss Mary Haydon, English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 20th June 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [10]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Haydon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Haydon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Enrico Haydon, aged 25, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 [11]
  • Agnes Haydon, aged 22, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 [11]
  • Mr. Frederick G. Haydon, (b. 1848), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Peter Denny" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 26th July 1874 [12]

Contemporary Notables of the name Haydon (post 1700) +

  • Julie Haydon (1910-1994), born Donella Donaldson, an American Broadway actress
  • Elizabeth Haydon (b. 1965), American fantasy author
  • Benjamin Robert Haydon (1786-1846), English painter and writer who specialized in grand historical pictures, born in Wimpole Street, Plymouth, on 26 Jan. 1786, the son of a printer and publisher, who came of an old Devonshire family [13]
  • Nicholas "Nicky" Haydon (b. 1978), English former footballer whop played from 1997 to 2003
  • Thomas Haydon, English tennis player in the 1906 Wimbledon Championships
  • Andrew Scott "Andy" Haydon (b. 1933), Canadian engineer and politician, 2nd Regional Chair of Ottawa-Carleton (1978-1991)
  • Lisa Haydon (b. 1986), born Elisabeth Marie Haydon, an Indian model and actress
  • Andrew Haydon (1867-1932), Canadian lawyer and senator for Ottawa (1924-1932)
  • James Richard Barnaby Haydon (b. 1973), British former motorcycle racer
  • William Haydon Burns (1912-1987), American politician, Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, 1949-65; Governor of Florida, 1965-67 [14]


The Haydon 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: Ferme en foy
Motto Translation: Strong in faith.


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/burrell
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  13. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
  14. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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