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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The origins of the Houghan surname are thought to be habitational, that is, derived from a pre-existing place name. The place name in turn is based on the Old English word "hoh," meaning "the spur of a hill."
The surname Houghan was first found in Kent at Hougham, a parish, in the union of Newark, wapentake of Loveden 1 where one of the first records of the name was found in the Pipe Rolls of 1207 as William de Huham. 2 Today Church Hougham and West Hougham, collectively known as "Hougham" are within Hougham Without, in the district of Dover. The Channel Tunnel runs underground just south of West Hougham. Hougham is also small parish in Lincolnshire and ironically it is this parish which is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Hacham. 3
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Houghan research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1157, 1199, 1606 and 1696 are included under the topic Early Houghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Houghan has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Hougham, Huffam and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Houghan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Houghans to arrive on North American shores: