Hammerstien History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Hammerstien family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Hamerton or Hammerton. Hamerton is found in Cambridgeshire, and Hammerton, Green Hammerton, and Kirk Hammerton are in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The place-names are of the same derivation, though. They are derived from the Old English words hamer, which meant hammer, and tun, which meant farm. The place-name as a whole indicated a "farm where there is a smithy." Green Hammerton indicated the presence of a village green in that place; a place where the village would gather for social events. Kirk Hammerton indicated the presence of a church; kirkja is an Old Scandinavian word for church.

Early Origins of the Hammerstien family

The surname Hammerstien was first found in Yorkshire where the family is "one of the most ancient families in the North of England, descended from Richard de Hameron, who lived in the twenty-sixth of Henry II., anno 1170." 1 During the reign of Edward III, the family acquired Hellifield in Yorkshire where they still reside today. 2 "A chantry was founded [in the parish of Slaidburn in the West Riding of Yorkshire] in 1332, by Stephen de Hamerton, in the chapel of St. Mary then existing on his manor of Hamerton, for a secular chaplain to celebrate mass for the repose of the souls of himself, his father, and his mother." 3

Early History of the Hammerstien family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hammerstien research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1629 and 1647 are included under the topic Early Hammerstien History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hammerstien Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hammerstien include Hamerton, Hammerton and others.

Early Notables of the Hammerstien family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hammerstien Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hammerstien family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hammerstien or a variant listed above: James, George, Helen, John, Mary, and William Hamerton all arrived in Philadelphia in 1820.

The Hammerstien 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: Fixus adversa sperno
Motto Translation: I firmly despise adversity.

Citations +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.