Show ContentsHaserd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Haserd is a name whose history dates possibly as far back as 1066 when the Normans first arrived in Britain following their Conquest of the island. It was a name for a person who takes chances or a gambler which is derived from the Old French word hasard, which means a game of dice, played by a gambler or one who was prepared to run risks. 1 2 A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. "The orthography was originally Hasssart, and the extinct dukes of Charante [Normandy] were of the same family." 3

Early Origins of the Haserd family

The surname Haserd was first found in Gloucestershire where "soon after the Conquest a branch settled." 3

Early Pipe Rolls in Hampshire show Hugo Hasard in 1170 and 1190, Halsard (Hasard) in 1178 and William Halsart in Surrey in 1177. In Yorkshire, the Pipe Rolls listed Gilbert Hausard in 1196. Geoffrey Hasard was listed as a Knights Templar in Lincolnshire in 1185 and the Feet of Fines for Kent list Walter Hassard in 1197. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls for 1273 include entries for Gilbert Haunsard, Lincolnshire; John Haunsard, Norfolk; and John Hasard, Yorkshire. 5

The Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. include an entry for John Haunsard, Northamptonshire, Henry III-Edward I. 6. Alan de Haunsard, taverner was listed as Freeman of York, 4 Edward II (during the 4th year of King Edward II's reign.)

Early History of the Haserd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Haserd research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1624, 1625, 1631 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Haserd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Haserd Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Haserd family

More information is included under the topic Early Haserd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Haserd family to Ireland

Some of the Haserd family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Haserd migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Haserds to arrive on North American shores:

Haserd Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Nahum Haserd, aged 16, who arrived in New England in 1635 7


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  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. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  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)


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