Contents [hide]

Hassard History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Hassard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Hassard family name is thought to be of Norman origins. It comes from an early member of the family who was 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 Hassard family

The surname Hassard 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 Hassard family

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

Hassard Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Hazard, Hasard, Hassard and others.

Early Notables of the Hassard family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

General Hassard

Migration of the Hassard family to Ireland

Some of the Hassard 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.

Hassard migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Hassard or a variant listed above:

Hassard Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Hassard, aged 24, who arrived in Isla de Providencia in 1635 aboard the ship "Expectation" 7
Thomas Hassard, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1636 7
Benjamin Hassard, who settled in New England in 1654

Hassard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Miss Mary Hassard, aged 27, who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Eli Whitney" in 1835 8
Mr. Roger Hassard, aged 25, who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Eli Whitney" in 1835 8
Mr. John Hassard, aged 30, who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Nicholas Biddle" in 1844 8
Miss Hannah Hassard, aged 5, who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Franconia" in 1848 8
Miss Catherine Hassard, aged 3, who arrived in Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Franconia" in 1848 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hassard migration to Australia +

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

Hassard Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

Richard Hassard, who arrived in Fremantle, Australia aboard the ship "Belgic" in 1912 9
Mrs. G. E. Hassard, who arrived in Fremantle, Australia aboard the ship "Ormonde" in 1919 9
Mr. R. Hassard, who arrived in Fremantle, Australia aboard the ship "Otranto" in 1930 9

Hassard 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:

Hassard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Francis Hassard, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "England" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th February 1867 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Hassard (post 1700) +

John Rose Greene Hassard (1836-1888), American editor and historian, assistant editor of the American Cyclopedia from 1857 to 1863
Michael Dobbyn Hassard (1817-1869), Irish Conservative Party politician from County Waterford, Member of Parliament for Waterford City (1857-1865)
Robert Pelham "Bob" Hassard (1888-1953), Canadian car dealer, farmer and politician who represented Biggar from 1925 to 1929 and from 1934 to 1938 in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Michael Dobbyn Hassard (1817-1869), Irish Conservative Party politician, Member of Parliament for Waterford City (1857 – 1865)
Stacey Hassard, Canadian politician, Leader of the Opposition in the Yukon Legislative Assembly (2016-), Leader of the Yukon Party (2016-), Minister of Economic Development (2015-2016)
Dean Hassard, Canadian politician who represented the electoral district of Pelly-Nisutlin in the Yukon Legislative Assembly (2002-2006)
Robert Harry "Bob" Hassard (1929-2010), Canadian NHL centre
Captain Hassard Stackpoole (d. 1822), British Naval officer of the Statira frigate who was killed in a duel at Jamaica, by Lieutenant Thomas Walbeoff Cecil, of the Argo 44

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
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)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 9th February 2023. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
National Archives of Australia Retrieved 9th February 2023. Retrieved from https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/PassengerListing.aspx
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html