Hermar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Hermar arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Hermar comes from the Old English given name Heremoer. It derives from the Old English elements here, which means army, and moer, which means fame. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been "an ancient personal name, occurring in the Domesday Book of Norfolk among the tenants in chief as Hermerus. " 2

The family may have originated in Normandy as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists John, Ralph, William Hermer, in Normandy, (1180 - 1198.) 3

Early Origins of the Hermar family

The surname Hermar was first found in Staffordshire where as a forename, Hermerus de la Bold was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1176. A few years later, Willelmus filius Hermeri was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1208 and William de Herme was found in the Curia Regis Rolls for Sussex in 1207. Simon de Haremere was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Later again, Walter Hermer was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 4

In Yorkshire, Johannes Hermer was listed in the Poll Tax of Howdenshire in 1379 and Ricardus Hermer was found in the Poll Tax of Yorkshire of 1379. 5

Early History of the Hermar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hermar research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1569, 1572, 1575, 1594, 1610, 1613, 1646, 1647, 1670 and 1972 are included under the topic Early Hermar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hermar Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Harmer, Harmar, Hermer, Hermar, Hearmer, Hearmar and others.

Early Notables of the Hermar family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Harmer or Harmar (c.1555- c.1613), English professor of Greek at Oxford. He was born, probably of humble parentage, at Newbury in Berkshire about 1555. Through the influence of the Earl of Leicester, he was elected to St. Mary's College, Winchester, in 1569, at the age of fourteen; in 1572 he obtained a scholarship at New College, Oxford, where he matriculated on 10 Jan. 1575...
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hermar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hermar family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Hermar or a variant listed above: John Harmar, who arrived in Virginia in 1652Richard Harmer, who came to Virginia in 1670; William Harmer settled in Barbados in 1679 with his servants.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)