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The Anglo-Saxon name Hearste comes from when the family resided close to a wooded region or thicket. Hearste is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Literally, the name was derived from the Saxon word for "a wood, a grove; fruit-bearing tree." 1
The surname Hearste was first found in Yorkshire the "surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'At the hurst,' a wood, a thicket. This surname has ramified in the most remarkable manner in the West Riding of Yorkshire." 2
The earliest record the family was Roger del Hurst who was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1246. 3
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 was one of the first rolls to list early spellings of the name: Iyode Hirst; and Richard de Hirst, both listed in Huntingdonshire. The Writs of Parliament of 1302 listed John atte Hurst. Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Willelmus del He'rst; Adam del Hyrst; and Willelmus del Hirst. 2
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hearste research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1629, 1648, 1690, 1750, 1751, 1754, 1760, 1769 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hearste History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Hearste has been recorded under many different variations, including Hurst, Hirst, Herst and others.
Distinguished members of the family include William Hirst (d. 1769?), English astronomer, the eldest son of William Hirst, D.D. (d. 1760), Master of Hertford free school, Vicar of Bengeo, and Rector of Sacomb, Hertfordshire. He was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hearste Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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.
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Hearste or a variant listed above: Cuthbert Hurst who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 with his wife Mary and five children; George Hurst settled in Barbados with his wife and servants in 1680.