Show ContentsHardcastell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Hardcastell family

The surname Hardcastell was first found in Yorkshire, but two noted authorities note that the name is probably derived from a geographical locality as in 'of Harden Castle.' "Must be, I think, a contraction of Harden Castle, the ancient residence of the Scotts of Harden, and a fine specimen to this day of a border fortress, in Roxburghshire." [1]

Bardsley agrees and adds "this is quite possible. It is found in Northumberland and Durham. I am strongly inclined to this view, but evidence is lacking, so far as my reading goes." [2]

Entries for the family are quite late. In the aforementioned Yorkshire, we found John Hardcastle registered there in the Subsidy Rolls of 1621 and later William Hardcastell in the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1657. [3] Reaney claims the name is from Hardcastle in Bewerley in the West Riding of Yorkshire but we cannot confirm this claim. [3]

Early History of the Hardcastell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hardcastell research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1655, 1662, 1665, 1666, 1670 and 1678 are included under the topic Early Hardcastell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hardcastell Spelling Variations

The name, Hardcastell, occurred in many references, and from time to time, it was spelt Hardcastle, Harcastle, Hardcastell and others.

Early Notables of the Hardcastell family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Thomas Hardcastle (d. 1678?), ejected minister, born at Berwick-upon-Holm, where he received his education under Jackson, a learned divine. He graduated B.A. at St. John's College in 1655. In 1662 he held the vicarage of Bramley in Yorkshire, and was ejected by the Act of Nonconformity. He suffered frequent imprisonment for his nonconformity, or...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hardcastell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Hardcastell migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned settlers from the Scottish-English borders. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Among the early settlers bearing the Hardcastell surname who came to North America were:

Hardcastell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mathew Hardcastell, aged 20 who landed in Virginia in 1624 aboard the ship "Jacob" [4]


The Hardcastell 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: Deus mihi munimen
Motto Translation: God is my fortress.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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