Hort History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The ancient Anglo-Saxon culture once found in Britain is the soil from which the many generations of the Hort family have grown. This surname was also derived form the Old English word "heorot," which meant "stag." 1 The original bearer of this name most likely was known by this nickname due to some traits or attributes that seemed "stag-like." There are many folk tales, myths, and legends which portrayed animals behaving as humans.

Early Origins of the Hort family

The surname Hort was first found in Oxfordshire, where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Amicia le Hurt, Thomas le Hurt, and Hugh le Hurt as all holding lands there at that time. 1

"In the reign of Edward I, Hurt was a common name in Oxfordshire, and it was also represented then in Lincolnshire and Devonshire." 2

However, another source notes Aelfric Hort was living in Hampshire c. 1060 and in this case, he would have been a Saxon as this was before the Norman Conquest in 1066. He continues: Roger Hert was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166, Reginald Hurt was a Templar from Bedfordshire in 1185, Simon le Hert was listed in the Feet of Fines for Kent in 1197, Godrich le Hurt was listed in Berkshire in 1220, and finally Richard Hort was listed in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221. 3

Early History of the Hort family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hort research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1461, 1595, 1602, 1609, 1633, 1674, 1690, 1695 and 1751 are included under the topic Early Hort History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hort Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Hort have been found, including Hurt, Hurte and others.

Early Notables of the Hort family

Distinguished members of the family include

Josiah Hort (1674?-1751), Archbishop of Tuam, born about 1674, the son of John Hort of Marshfield, South Gloucestershire...

Hort migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become powerful new nations. Among early immigrants of the Hort surname to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were:

Hort Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Hort, who arrived in Maryland in 1668 4
Nicholas Hort, who landed in Maryland in 1668 4
John Hort, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 4

Hort Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mathias Hort, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 4
Ludwig Hort, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1767 4

Hort Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

A Hort, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4

Hort 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:

Hort Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

A. Hort, aged 25, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
Mr. Abraham Hort, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 5
A W Hort, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship New York Packet
Abraham Hort, aged 40, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Prince of Wales" in 1842
Abraham Hort, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1843 aboard the ship "Prince of Wales"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hort (post 1700) +

Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet GCMG, GCVO, KCB (1843-1923), 16th Governor of South Australia from 18 February 1909 until 22 March 1914
Edmund Hort New (1871-1931), English artist

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html