Show ContentsHeanadge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Heanadge came to England with the ancestors of the Heanadge family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Heanadge family lived in Lincolnshire, where the family were lords of the manor of Hainton.

Early Origins of the Heanadge family

The surname Heanadge was first found in Lincolnshire where they were Lords of the manor of Hainton, and Sir Robert de Heneage received a grant from Robert Blaoet who was Chancellor to King William Rufus. He was succeeded by John de Heneage, then Walter de Heneage, William de Heneage, and to John de Heneage who was possessed of the manor of Heneage.

Today, Hainton is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, but this local dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Haintone 1 and literally meant "farmstead in an enclosure," from the Old English words "haegen" + "tun." 2

Hainton Hall has been the seat of the Heneage family since the reign of Henry III. The present hall was built in 1638 with later additions.

The parish of Six-Hills in Lincolnshire has another early reference to the family. "A Gilbertine priory of nuns and canons, in honour of the Blessed Virgin, was founded here by one Grella or Greslei, and at the Dissolution had a revenue of £170. 8. 9.; the site was granted to Sir Thomas Heneage." 3

Early History of the Heanadge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heanadge research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1447, 1533, 1536, 1537, 1553, 1556, 1559, 1563, 1595, 1628 and 1634 are included under the topic Early Heanadge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heanadge Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Heanadge are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Heanadge include Heanage, Heneage, Henage, Heenage and others.

Early Notables of the Heanadge family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Heneage (1533-1595), who resided at Hainton Hall served as Vice Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth I, Member of Parliament for Stamford in 1553, for Arundel from 1559 and later for Boston in 1563. "was eldest son of Robert Heneage of Lincoln, auditor of the duchy of Lancaster, and surveyor of the queen's woods beyond Trent, by his first wife, Lucy, daughter and coheiress of Ralph Buckton of Hemswell, Lincolnshire. The father, who was fourth son of John Heneage of Hainton, near Wragby, Lincolnshire, died in 1556, and was buried in St. Katherine Cree Church...
Another 162 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heanadge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Heanadge family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Heanadge, or a variant listed above: Robert Heenage who landed in North America in 1709; and John Heneage, who settled in Cuba in 1855.



The Heanadge 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: Toujours firme
Motto Translation: Always firm.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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