Harich History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Harich is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the Old Danish and Old Swedish name Erik and the Old Norse name Eiríkr. Many Scandinavian personal names were left in the British Isles as a legacy of the Viking raids which plagued the coastal regions of Britain from the 8th to 10th centuries, and many of these eventually became Anglo-Saxon surnames.

Early Origins of the Harich family

The surname Harich was first found in Leicestershire. The name was listed as Eiric, Eric, and Erish in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1 John Eirich was the first listing of the family in Leicestershire in 1211. 2

"There is a tradition that the most ancient family of the Ericks derive lineage from Erick the Forester, a great commander, who raised an army to oppose the invasion of William the Conqueror, by whom he was vanquished, but afterwards employed to command that prince's forces, and in old age retired to his house in Leicestershire, where his family hath continued ever since." 3

Early History of the Harich family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harich research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1450, 1557, 1591, 1592, 1600, 1658, 1667, 1674, 1685, 1686, 1694, 1695 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Harich History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harich Spelling Variations

Only 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 Harich has undergone many spelling variations, including Herrick, Herricke and others.

Early Notables of the Harich family

Notables of the family at this time include Robert Herrick (1591-1674), and English poet, the fourth son of Nicholas Herrick, a goldsmith in Cheapside, by his wife Julian Stone who was baptised at the church of St. Vedast, Foster Lane, on 24 August 1591. He who wrote over 2,500 poems. His father, who came of an ancient Leicestershire family of Heyricks or Eyrickes, died in November 1592 of injuries caused by a fall from an upper window of his house. It was suspected that the fall was not accidental. 4 Thomas Heyrick (d. 1694), English poet and divine, son of Thomas Heyrick...
Another 187 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harich Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Harich family to Ireland

Some of the Harich 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 Harich family

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 Harich were among those contributors: Jacob Herrick settled in New York in 1646; Henry Herrick settled in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630; Thomas Herrick settled in Virginia in 1636.

The Harich 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 omnia nobilitat
Motto Translation: Virtue ennobles all things.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print