Show ContentsHarwick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Harwick name is an important part of the history of the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Harwick is 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 Harwick family

The surname Harwick 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 Harwick family

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

Harwick Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Harwick were recorded, including Herrick, Herricke and others.

Early Notables of the Harwick 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 Harwick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Harwick family to Ireland

Some of the Harwick 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.


Harwick migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Harwick family emigrate to North America:

Harwick Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacob Harwick, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 5
  • Johannes Harwick, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 5
  • Nicollus Harwick, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 5
  • Paulus Harwick, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 5
  • Anna Maria Harwick, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 5
Harwick Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Harwick, who arrived in New York, NY in 1802 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Harwick (post 1700) +

  • M. B. Harwick, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Lehigh County, 1885-86, 1889-90 6
  • John L. Harwick, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Rochester, Minnesota, 1915-20 6


The Harwick 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. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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