Ardres History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Ardres

What does the name Ardres mean?

The ancestors of the name Ardres date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in Upper Hardres or Lower Hardres, near Canterbury referred to as Hardres. Both parishes dates back to Saxon times where they were collectively known as Haredum in 785. 1 By the Domesday Book of 1086, the parishes were known as Hardes. 2 The place names literally mean "place at the woods," from the Old English "harad." 1

Early Origins of the Ardres family

The surname Ardres was first found in Kent, where family members were Lords of the manor Lyminge. The earliest recorded ancestor is Robert de Hardres, who lived during the reigns of Edward the Confessor and William the Conqueror. He held his lands from the Archbishop of Canterbury, which consisted of a church, a mill, and a fishery of forty eels, as recorded in the Domesday Book. 2

"There are two parishes in that county so called, and Hardres Court was the family seat down to the extinction of the baronetcy in 1764. The family derived from Ardres in Picardy and conferred their name upon the Kentish localities-a circumstance of rare but not of unique occurrence. "3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family, both in Kent: Gunnora de Hardres; and Robert de Hardres. 4

Early History of the Ardres family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ardres research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1610, 1635, 1642, 1660, 1664, 1669, 1673, 1676, 1679, 1681, 1686, 1688, 1718, 1736 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Ardres History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ardres Spelling Variations

Ardres 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. Many variations of the name Ardres have been found, including Hardress, Hardres, Hardresse, Hardrese, Harders and many more.

Early Notables of the Ardres family

More information is included under the topic Early Ardres Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ardres family

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 Ardress to arrive on North American shores: Tryntie Harders, who sailed to New York in 1643; J.G. harder to Philadelphia, Pa. in 1808; and J.W. Harders, who settled in San Francisco, Cal. in 1853..

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)