Hight History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Early Origins of the Hight family

The surname Hight was first found in Derbyshire, where the name appeared in the late 13th century. The Hight name, like many surnames, is probably topographical in origin, referring to someone who lived at the height, or summit of a hill. Another possibility is that the name referred to a characteristic of its first bearer, in this case probably the fact that he was tall.

Early History of the Hight family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hight research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1275 and 1279 are included under the topic Early Hight History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hight Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Height, Hite, Hight, Hyte and others.

Early Notables of the Hight family

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

Hight Ranking

In the United States, the name Hight is the 5,269^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Hight migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hight or a variant listed above:

Hight Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Benedict Hight, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 2
Wendal Hight, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 2
William Hight, aged 35, who landed in New York, NY in 1855 2
Mary Hight, who landed in New York, NY in 1855 2
Matilda Hight, aged 30, who arrived in New York, NY in 1855 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hight migration to Australia +

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

Hight Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Hight, English convict from Northampton, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on October 22nd, 1824, settling in New South Wales, Australia 3

Hight 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:

Hight Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Richard Hight, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Oriental
R. Hight, aged 28, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 4
Charles Hight, aged under 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 4
Mr. Hight, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 5
Mrs. Hight, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hight (post 1700) +

Ahmo Kathleen Hight (1972-2023), American fitness model, swimsuit model and actress, Ms. Fitness USA (Western States Division) tournament and Ms. Fit Body Bay Area in 1994
Elena Hight (b. 1989), American Olympic snowboarder
Elizabeth A. Hight, retired United States Navy rear admiral
Rochie Lee Hight (1904-1992), American Republican politician, Mayor of Carl Junction, Missouri, 1945-47 6
Jacob G. Hight, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Pennsylvania State Senate 7th District, 1884 6
Michael Hight (b. 1961), New Zealand artist from Stratford

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1824 with 9 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1824
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html