Show ContentsHarling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Harling family

The surname Harling was first found in Norfolk at Harling, a parish that dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Herlinge c. 1060. 1 2 And it is here that we find the first record of the family, namely Balduinus filius Herluini in 1066. 3

A few years later, the parish would appear as Herlinga in the Domesday Book of 1086. At that time, the parish consisted of a village with a church, two mills, fisheries, a beehive, and 180 sheep. The Domesday Book has two listings for the family: Herluinus and Urleuuine. 4 The village of Harling on the River Thet in the middle centuries later became two, East Harling and West Harling. The holders of the land in 1086 were Godric, Ingulf, and Robert de Verly.

Over one hundred years later in Kent, Herlewine de Sumerfeld was listed there in the Pipe Rolls of 1191. Later in Kent, John Erlewin was recorded in 1225 and later, Roger Herlewyn was found in the Pipe Rolls for Dorset in 1230. In Sussex, William Harlyn was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. Alice Hurlewyne was registered in the Subsidy Rolls for Surrey in 1332. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Herlewinus (without surname), Norfolk; Henry Herlewine, Kent; Thomas Herlewine, Lincolnshire; and John Herlewyn, Buckinghamshire. 5

In Somerset, Stephen Harlwyn was recorded 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III) 6 and in Yorkshire, Agnes Herlyng was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 5

Early History of the Harling family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harling research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1435, 1460 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Harling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harling Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Harlin, Harling, Harlan, Hawlin, Harlingham and others.

Early Notables of the Harling family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Sir Robert de Harling (d. 1435), English landed gentry, a soldier, and political strongman. The Norfolk villages of East Harling, West Harling, Harling Market and Larling were greatly under his contro...
  • It would appear that the tomb was not made until after 1460 for, on Sunday 9 March of that year, William Worcester rode over to East Harling with a Norwich 'Marbeler' to see about the making of the to...
  • The arch above the tomb is decorated on two orders with fleurs-de-lis and baskets, the fleurs from the Mortimers through his mother; the baskets are evidently a Harling badge. To the left, a cusp has...
  • Sir Robert and Lady Jane’s daughter was Anne Harling, who married Sir William Chamberlain. On the north side of the Chamberlain tomb, in St. Anne's chapel (now the vestry) are the arms of Sir Robert H...


Harling migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Harling or a variant listed above:

Harling Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Cath Harling, who settled in Georgia in 1736
  • Wm. Harling, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1764
  • James Harling, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1774
Harling Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Frederick Harling, who arrived in Iroquois County, Illinois in 1867 7
  • Ferdinand Harling, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1876 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Harling (post 1700) +

  • Thomas Harling, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Cowes, 1861-66 8
  • James H. Harling, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Cattaraugus County, 1919 8

HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Bernard W Harling, British Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 9


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  7. 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)
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  9. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook