Hafer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The ancestors of the Hafer family lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Hafer was a name given to a person associated with a male goat, perhaps through ownership of such an animal or a perceived physical or temperamental resemblance to that animal. The surname Hafer is derived from the Old English word hæfer, which means he-goat. 1 2

Early Origins of the Hafer family

The surname Hafer was first found in Norfolk where Hugh, Simon Hauer was the first mention of the family in the Pipe Rolls of 1199 and later in the Pipe Rolls of Essex in 1230. 1

From these earliest records, we must move to the north in Scotland to find later information. "Gilbert Heware, chaplain, witnessed an instrument of sasine, 1446, and Robert Hafere was one of the perambulators of the bounds of Prestwick, in the same year." 3

Early History of the Hafer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hafer research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1470, 1482, 1497, 1499, 1505, 1509, 1513, 1514, 1657, 1664, 1684, 1685, 1686, 1687 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Hafer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hafer Spelling Variations

Hafer 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 Hafer have been found, including Havers, Haver and others.

Early Notables of the Hafer family

Notables of the family at this time include Clopton Havers (1657-1702), an English physician and pioneer on the microstructure of bone, believed to have been the first person to observe the eponymous Haversian canals and Sharpey's fibres in bones. "He studied at Catharine Hall, Cambridge, but left the university without taking any degree. He was admitted extra-licentiate of the College of Physicians of London on 28 July 1684, took the degree of M.D. at Utrecht...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hafer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hafer Ranking

In the United States, the name Hafer is the 7,407^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4

Hafer migration to the United States +

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 Hafers to arrive on North American shores:

Hafer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Georg Hafer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 5

Hafer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henery Hafer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1804 5
Godfrey Hafer, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1860 5

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)