Show ContentsHearndint History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hearndint is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in the village of Harrowden in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire.

Early Origins of the Hearndint family

The surname Hearndint was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), located in Southeast-central England, formerly part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Harrowden is a one-street hamlet in Bedfordshire. Great Harrowden and Little Harrowden are parishes and villages in Northamptonshire that date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where collectively they were known as Hargedone. 1 The place name literally means "hill of the heathen shrines or temples," from the Old English words "hearg" + "dun." 2 Ironically "Little" Harrowden has more inhabitants that "Great" Harroweden and that has been the case for more than 100 years. In the 15th century the manors of Great and Little Harrowden were held by Sir William Vaux who was slain at the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471. Great Harrowden Hall was built between 1716 and 1719. The All Saints Church dates back to Norman times and is famous for its medieval Doom (painting.) There is also a brass to William Harrowden from the 16th century located there.

Early History of the Hearndint family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hearndint research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1086 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Hearndint History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hearndint Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hearndint family name include Harraden, Harradine, Haridine, Harridine, Horoden, Harnden, Herndon and many more.

Early Notables of the Hearndint family

More information is included under the topic Early Hearndint Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hearndint family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Hearndint surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Edward Harraden, who sailed to Massachusetts in 1635; Jabez Harraden, who came to Philadelphia, Pa. in 1836 and Alfred Harraden, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1845..



  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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook