Show ContentsHeedge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Heedge comes from when the family resided near a hedge or enclosure. This name belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. The surname Heedge was originally derived from the Old English hecg, which meant hedge. 1 2

Early Origins of the Heedge family

The surname Heedge was first found in Kent where John de la Hegge was first listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls lists Walter de la Hegge in London. 3

Edith atte Hegge was listed in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 4

The Assize Rolls of Bedfordshire included Ailmar Hegge in 1227 and a few years later, Robert atte Hegge was listed in the Somerset in the Assize Rolls of 1256. During the reign of King Edward I, Richard de Hegges was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296 and later, Robert del Hegges was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1301. 5

"Hedges is a name that has at present its principal home in Buckinghamshire, though it also occurs in the surrounding counties of Berkshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire. Last century a family of gentry bearing this name resided at Cublington, in Buckinghamshire, and there were then others of the name in Stewkley and Whitchurch (Lips.). The name still occurs in Stewkley." 6

Early History of the Heedge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heedge research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1296, 1599, 1629, 1632, 1649, 1701 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Heedge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heedge Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Heedge has been recorded under many different variations, including Hedge, Hedges, Hegges, Hegge and others.

Early Notables of the Heedge family

Notables of the family at this time include Robert Hegge (1599-1629) was an English academic and antiquary from Durham; and Sir Charles Hedges (1649-1714), of Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, an English lawyer and politician, judge in Admiralty Court, one of Queen Anne's Secretaries of State. He was great-grandson of John Lacy of Wiltshire and was son of Henry...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heedge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Heedge family to Ireland

Some of the Heedge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 63 words (4 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 Heedge family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Heedge or a variant listed above: Mary Hedge settled in Pennsylvania in 1682; Samuel Hedge settled in Delaware in 1675; another Samuel Hedge settled in New Jersey in 1664 with his wife Anne.



  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.


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