Havilland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Havilland

What does the name Havilland mean?

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Havilland family name to the British Isles. They lived in Somerset and Guernsey. Their name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Haverland in Contantin, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Havilland family

The surname Havilland was first found in Somerset and Guernsey where "a member of the ancient Norman family of De Havilland of Guernsey settled in Somersetshire temp. Henry VII., and founded this surname in England." 1 The original Guernsey family settled there before 1176.

Early History of the Havilland family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Havilland research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1170 is included under the topic Early Havilland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Havilland Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Haviland, Havilland, De Haviland and others.

Early Notables of the Havilland family

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

Migration of the Havilland family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Havilland or a variant listed above were: Miles Haviland settled in Rhode Island in 1679; Mathew Haviland settled in Barbados in 1680 with his servants; Arthur, Daniel, Francis, Henry, James, John Haviland, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..

Contemporary Notables of the name Havilland (post 1700) +

Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland DBE (1916-2020), British-American Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winning actress. Her career spanned from 1935 to 1988, she starred in Captain Blood, The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Adventures of Robin Hood and Gone with the Wind for which she won her first Oscar. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire at the age of 101

The Havilland 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: Dominus fortissima turris
Motto Translation: The Lord is the strong tower

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.