Hewes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Wales

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The ancestors of the bearers of the Hewes surname were Welsh Brythonic-Celts. However, their name came to Britain with the Norman invasion; Hewes is derived from the Old French personal name Hughe, also spelled Hue. This name was made popular by the exploits of several saints including: St. Hugh of Lincoln (1140-1200), who was born in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) and established the first Carthusian monastery in England; as well as St. Hugh of Cluny (1024-1109).

Hugh (d. 1094), called of Grantmesnil, or Grentemaisnil, was Baron and Sheriff of Leicestershire, son of Robert of Grantmesnil, in the arrondissement of Lisieux. 1

Hugh (d. 1098), called of Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury and Arundel, second son of Roger of Montgomery, held during his father's lifetime the manor of Worfield in Shropshire. 1

Early Origins of the Hewes family

The surname Hewes was first found in Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin), located in Southwest Wales, one of thirteen historic counties and presently one of the principal area in Wales.

Early rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used at that time. By example, Hugo was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086; Willelmus filius Hugonis was found in Wiltshire in 1084 and Reginaldus le fiz Hugonis was in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire from 1195. 2

Early History of the Hewes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hewes research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1038, 1518, 1545, 1553, 1600, 1603, 1604, 1612, 1613, 1620, 1632, 1645, 1654, 1659, 1662, 1664, 1667, 1670, 1674, 1677, 1685, 1693, 1695, 1704, 1719, 1720, 1731, 1740, 1751, 1776 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hewes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hewes Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Hewes have included Hughes, Hugh, Hews, Hughs, Hues, Huse and others.

Early Notables of the Hewes family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Margaret Hughes (c. 1645-1719), also known as Peg Hughes or Margaret Hewes, generally believed to be the first professional actress on the English stage

Hewes Ranking

In the United States, the name Hewes is the 11,214^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Hewes family to Ireland

Some of the Hewes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hewes migration to the United States +

Many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, searching for land, work, and freedom. Like the many other immigrants from the British Isles, they made a significant contribution to the development of Canada and the United States. The Welsh and their descendents added a rich cultural tradition to the newly developed towns, cities, and villages. An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Hewes:

Hewes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Hewes, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "John & Francis" 4
Joshua Hewes, who landed in Boston aboard the ship "Griffin", bound for Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1633 4
Ralph Hewes, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 4
Edward Hewes, who landed in Massachusetts in 1636 4
Richard Hewes, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1637 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hewes 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:

Hewes Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Hewes, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1863 5
Mr. G. Hewes, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Norfolk" arriving in Wellington, North Island, New Zealand on 18th June 1880 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Hewes (post 1700) +

William Gardner "Billy" Hewes, American Republican politician 7
Agnes Danforth Hewes (1874-1963), American writer of children's literature
George Robert Twelves Hewes (1742-1840), one of the last survivors of the American Revolution
Henry Hewes (1917-2006), American Drama Critic for the Saturday Review
Joseph Hewes (1730-1779), American signer of Declaration of Independence
Sylvanus Hewes, American politician, Member of New Hampshire State Senate 11th District, 1845-46, 1847-48 8
Philip Hewes, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Avon; Elected 1934; Defeated, 1940; First selectman of Avon, Connecticut, 1954 8
L. D. Hewes, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1912 8
Joseph Hewes (1730-1779), American politician, Member of North Carolina State Legislature, 1766-75, 1778-79; Delegate to Continental Congress from North Carolina, 1774-77, 1779; Signer, Declaration of Independence, 1776 8
Clarence Bussey Hewes (b. 1890), American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from District of Columbia, 1948, 1952 8
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Hewes 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: Kymmer-yn Lydeirnon
Motto Translation: Name of the lordship of the family.