Haferlyn is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Haferlyn family lived in Somerset and Guernsey. Their name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Haverland in Contantin, Normandy.
The surname Haferlyn was first found in Somerset and Guernsey where "a member of the ancient Norman family of De Havilland of Guernsey settled in Somersetshire temp. Henry VII., and founded this surname in England." [1] The original Guernsey family settled there before 1176.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Haferlyn research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 117 and 1170 are included under the topic Early Haferlyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Haferlyn family name include Haviland, Havilland, De Haviland and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Haferlyn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Haferlyn family to immigrate North America: Miles Haviland settled in Rhode Island in 1679; Mathew Haviland settled in Barbados in 1680 with his servants; Arthur, Daniel, Francis, Henry, James, John Haviland, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..