Havillant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Havillant is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Havillant family 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 Havillant family

The surname Havillant 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 Havillant family

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

Havillant Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Haviland, Havilland, De Haviland and others.

Early Notables of the Havillant family

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

Migration of the Havillant family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Havillant name or one of its variants: 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..

The Havillant 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

Citations +

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