Harkness History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 
  England 


The first people to use the name Harkness were a family of Strathclyde-Britons who lived in the Scottish/English Borderlands. The name comes from when someone lived in Dumfries. Some believe that the surname Harkness is derived from the Old English words here, which means army, and næss, which means headland or cape.

Early Origins of the Harkness family

The surname Harkness was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Harkness family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harkness research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1890 is included under the topic Early Harkness History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harkness Spelling Variations

Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Harkness has appeared as Harkness, Harkniss, Harckness, Hackness, Herkness and many more.

Early Notables of the Harkness family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Harkness Ranking

In the United States, the name Harkness is the 6,180th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Harkness family to Ireland

Some of the Harkness family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Harkness migration to the United States +

The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them:

Harkness Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Harkness Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Harkness migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Harkness Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Harkness Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Harkness migration to Australia +

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

Harkness Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Harkness 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:

Harkness Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Harkness (post 1700) +
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