Halfearde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Halfearde dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Halford, a place-name found in Devon, Shropshire, or Warwickshire, or in Haleford, a lost place in Kent. Despite the similarity of the place-names, they are derived from different sources. The Halford name which was found in Salop (now called Shropshire), for example, is derived from the Old English words haforce, which means "hawk," and ford, a word that means "shallow place where a river may be crossed by wading." 1

It was rendered as Hauerford in 1155. Another Halford, this one in Warwickshire, was listed as Halchford sometime in the 12th century; it is derived from the Old English words halh, which meant "remote nook or corner of land," and ford, a shallow place where a river could be crossed without a bridge. 1

"Halford was a Devonshire surname in the reign of Edward I. (H. R.). There is a Warwickshire parish of the name." 2 3

Early Origins of the Halfearde family

The surname Halfearde was first found in Kent where Thomas de Haleford was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1200. Later, Robert de Halford was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Leicestershire in 1327. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family: William de Halford, Devon; and William de Holeford, Oxfordshire. 5

Robert de Haleford, was listed in Warwickshire, Henry III-Edward I, according to the source Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. 6

Early History of the Halfearde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Halfearde research. Another 238 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1641, 1658, 1663, 1679, 1689, 1690, 1695, 1727 and 1844 are included under the topic Early Halfearde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halfearde Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Halfearde have been found, including Halford, Hallford, Halforde and others.

Early Notables of the Halfearde family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Richard Halford, 1st Baronet (c.?1580-1658), Sheriff of Leicestershire in the 19th year of James I's reign, created a Baronet on 18 December 1641, notable for his allegiance to Charles I...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Halfearde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Halfearde family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Halfearde, or a variant listed above: Henry Halferd, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1822; Thomas Halford, who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1634; Nancy Halferty, who came to St. John, N.B. in 1838.

The Halfearde Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtus in actione consistit
Motto Translation: Virtue consists in action.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)