Show ContentsHarridge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Harridge

What does the name Harridge mean?

The name Harridge has a rich and ancient history. It is an Anglo-Saxon name that was originally derived 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 Harridge family

The surname Harridge 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 Harridge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harridge 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 Harridge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harridge Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Harridge include Herrick, Herricke and others.

Early Notables of the Harridge 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. 4Thomas Heyrick (d. 1694), English poet and divine, son of Thomas Heyrick...
Another 187 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harridge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Harridge family to Ireland

Some of the Harridge 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.


Harridge migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Harridge Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Harridge, who landed in Maryland in 1670 5

Harridge migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Harridge Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Frederick Harridge, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1839 6
  • Thomas Harridge, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1839 7

Harridge migration to New Zealand +

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:

Harridge Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • David Harridge, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Seringapatam" in 1856

Contemporary Notables of the name Harridge (post 1700) +

  • William "Will" Harridge (1883-1971), American Major League Baseball executive, President of the American League from 1931 to 1959, eponym of the William Harridge Trophy, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1972


The Harridge 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.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. 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)
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Hooghly.htm
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SOMERSETSHIRE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Somersetshire.htm


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