Hands History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Hands is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the baptismal name for the son of John. The given name John was originally derived from the Dutch Hans or Han. 1 Alternatively, the name coule be "a nickname or sign-name [Old English hand, a hand]." 2 And another source notes it is an "ancient personal name. Hand and Hande are, however, surnames without prefix in Hundredorum Rolls. Mr. Ferguson says: "Walking through Handsworth in Staffordshire, and seeing the name of Hand upon the shops, I said to myself, ' Handsworth is the north or estate of a man called Hand, and these may be descendants of that man.'" 3 Early Origins of the Hands familyThe surname Hands was first found in Cheshire where the name first appeared as a forename in the Assize Rolls of 1288, Honde Cottrell. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 included Richard Hand in Bedfordshire and later Robert Hind was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Walter Handes was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1332. 4 In Yorkshire, The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls had a wide variety of entries: Hanse et uxor ejus; Matilda Han-wyfe; Thomas Hand; and Laurence Hande. 1 Early History of the Hands familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hands research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1521, 1588, 1594 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hands History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Hands Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Hands has undergone many spelling variations, including Hand, Hands and others. Early Notables of the Hands familyMore information is included under the topic Early Hands Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Hands family to IrelandSome of the Hands family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Hands were among those contributors: Hands Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Hands Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Hands Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Hands Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Hands Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 9 Hands Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
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