Halckerston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Halckerston family

The surname Halckerston was first found in Northumberland at Haggerston, a township, in the parochial chapelry of Ancroft, union of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Islandshire. The place name was listed as Agardeston in 1196 and literally meant "estate of a family called Hagard," from the Middle English or Old French surname + "tun." 1

The earliest record of the surname was "Robert de Hagrestone, Lord of Hagreston in 1399, although a Robert de Hagardeston occurs in 1312. It has been supposed that this family is of Scottish extraction." 2

Another reference states: "This place, which contains a number of scattered houses, gave name to a family by whom it was held at a very early period, and of whom Thomas Haggerston was colonel of the famous Northumberland regiment in the service of Charles I., and was created a Baronet by that king in 1643. Haggerston Castle is an old family mansion, built on the site of a more ancient castle, which was burnt down in 1618. " 3

The original Haggerston Castle was in fact first mentioned on this site in 1311 when Edward II visited the castle and again in 1345. It was granted a licence (1343-1334) to crenellate by Edward III. There is another local named Haggerston, now a place in the London Borough of Hackney, but this local has no relationship with the surname.

Early History of the Halckerston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Halckerston research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1296, 1312, 1642, 1679, 1680, 1785 and 1805 are included under the topic Early Halckerston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halckerston Spelling Variations

Although the name, Halckerston, appeared in many references, from time to time, the surname was shown with the spellings Haggerston, Hagreston, Halkerston, Halkerstone, Hawkerston, Haxton, Hackston and many more.

Early Notables of the Halckerston family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Robert Haggerston, Lord of Haggerston in the year 1312; and the infamous David Hackston or Halkerstone (died 1680), a militant Scottish Covenanter, remembered mainly for his part in the murder of Archbishop James Sharp of St. Andrews in 1679. In 1642 Sir Thomas Haggerston was created the first baronet of Haggerston in the Baronetage of England. He held Haggerston Castle, but by 1785 Sir...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Halckerston Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Halckerston family to Ireland

Some of the Halckerston family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Halckerston family

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of cholera, typhoid, dysentery or small pox. In North America, some of the first immigrants who could be considered kinsmen of the Halckerston family name Halckerston, or who bore a variation of the surname were E. Haggerson arrived in New York in 1823; John Haggarson settled in Barbados in 1663.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.