Hothen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Hothen is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in the settlement of Holtham or Houghham in Lincolnshire.

Today, Hotham is a small village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, where "the manor was for many generations the property of the Hotham family." 1

The name is "assumed from the place of residence, Hotham in Yorkshire, probably derived from the Saxon word Hod, a hood or covering, and ham, a house, farm, or village, or a piece of ground near a house or village, both of which terms are applicable to the situation of Hotham. Houtham signifies a place at or near a wood, from the Dutch Hout, a wood." 2

Early Origins of the Hothen family

The surname Hothen was first found in Yorkshire, where they claim descent from "Peter de Trehouse, who assumed the local name of Hotham, and was living in the year 1188." 3

The brisk winds of time have dusted off some rather interesting entries about the Hothen family. Robert de Hotham was found in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1202 and later, Walter de Hothum was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1327. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included only one entry for the family, that of Robert de Hothum, Yorkshire. John de Hotham was Bishop of Ely, 19 Edward I (during the 19th year of King Edward I's reign.) 5

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 also had only one entry for the family, Johannes de Hothum. 6

William of Hothum, also called Hodon and Odone, (d. 1298), was "Archbishop of Dublin, an Englishman who joined the Dominican order, and studied at Paris at the convent of the Jacobins, and became licentiate of theology in 1280, and afterwards doctor. He is often identified with the William de Hothum who was a fellow of Merton College, Oxford, in 1286; but this William is more probably a kinsman who between 1302 and 1306 was a prebendary of Swords in St. Patrick's, Dublin." 7

John Hothum or Hotham (d. 1337), was Bishop of Ely and Chancellor, "a younger son of a good Yorkshire family, was a clerk in the service of Edward II, and was when rector of Cottingham in Yorkshire appointed Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer in 1309, and the next year received from the king a prebend at York, and held the office of escheator beyond the Trent." 7

Early History of the Hothen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hothen research. Another 170 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1316, 1584, 1610, 1615, 1617, 1621, 1622, 1632, 1645, 1655, 1663, 1672, 1689, 1691, 1693, 1723, 1736, 1738, 1765, 1767, 1806, 1813 and 1855 are included under the topic Early Hothen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hothen Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Hothen were recorded, including Hotham, Hothan, Hothum, Hothun and others.

Early Notables of the Hothen family

Distinguished members of the family include Charles Hotham (ca. 1615-1672), an English cleric. The Hotham Baronets of Scorborough in the County of York, was created in the Baronetage of England in 1622. The family seat is Dalton Hall, Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire. The boronets include: Sir John Hotham, 1st Baronet, of Scorborough (died 1645), English parliamentarian; Sir John Hotham, 2nd Baronet (1632-1689), an English politician; Sir John Hotham, 3rd Baronet (1655-1691), an English politician; Sir Charles Hotham, 4th Baronet (c. 1663-1723); Sir Charles Hotham, 5th Baronet (1693-1738); Sir Charles Hotham, 6th...
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hothen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hothen family to Ireland

Some of the Hothen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 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 Hothen family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Hothen family emigrate to North America: John Hotham, who sailed to Virginia in 1715; Richard Hotham to Philadelphia in 1774; Ann Hotham to New York with her child in 1820; and S. Hothan to Savannah, Georgia in 1820..

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print