Show ContentsHix History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Hix comes from the son of Richard. 1 In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Hix family

The surname Hix was first found in Yorkshire, where one of the first records of the name was found as a forename as Hikke de Sauteby who was listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 1 "The chancel [of Low Leyton in Essex] contains some elegant monuments of the family of Hickes." 2

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on the phonetic appreciation of the names. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Hikke de Sauteby; Johanna Hickson; Henricas Hikson; Willelmus Hykson. 1

Again in Yorkshire, Richard Hick was registered there in the Subsidy Rolls for 1302 and later, William Hickys was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1332. 3

Much farther to the south in the parish of St. Ewe in Cornwall, another branch of the family was found. "The manor of Tregain belonged formerly to an ancient family of the same name: in which place they resided until they removed to Golden in Probus; after which it was forfeited in the reign of Elizabeth. When the manor was dismembered, the barton became the property of Hicks, who possessed also the barton of Trevithick in this parish. At this latter place a mansion was erected by this family, in which they continued to reside until the death of John Hicks, Esquire, in 1734, in whom this branch of the family ended." 4

Early History of the Hix family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hix research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1543, 1551, 1596, 1612, 1619, 1620, 1621, 1628, 1629, 1642, 1680, 1715 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hix History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hix Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Hix has appeared include Hicks, Hickes, Hick, Hix and others.

Early Notables of the Hix family

Notables of the family at this time include Baptist Hicks, 1st Viscount Campden (1551-1629), an English textile merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1621 and 1628; Michael Hicks (1543-1612), an English courtier and politician...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hix Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hix Ranking

In the United States, the name Hix is the 5,782nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Ireland Migration of the Hix family to Ireland

Some of the Hix family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Hix migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Hix arrived in North America very early:

Hix Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Hix, who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 6
  • Margaret Hix, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 6
  • William Hix, who landed in Virginia in 1638 6
  • Christopher Hix, who arrived in America in 1654-1679 6
  • Edward Hix, who landed in Virginia in 1657 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hix Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Humphry Hix, who landed in Virginia in 1701 6
  • Stephen Hix, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 6
  • John Hix, who landed in Virginia in 1726 6
  • Nicklas Hix, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1738 6
Hix Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Andrew Hix, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Hix (post 1700) +

  • Harvey Lee Hix (b. 1960), American poet and academic, a finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry in 2006
  • Ira H. Hix, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 30th District, 1910 7
  • Clifton A. Hix, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1936 (alternate), 1940, 1944 (alternate), 1952 (alternate); Candidate for U.S. Representative from California 17th District, 1940 7
  • Mark Ernest Hix MBE, English chef and restaurateur from Dorset, known for his role in the BBC television series Great British Menu in 2007
  • Simon Hix, British political scientist and Harold Laski Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science
  • Hix McCanless, American architect, surveyor, and civil engineer of Ennis, Texas, active in the early 20th century
  • Hix McCanless, American architect, surveyor, and civil engineer of Ennis, Texas


The Hix 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: Tout en bon heure
Motto Translation: All in good time.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. 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)
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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