Show ContentsHaythorn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Haythorn has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the settlement of Hawthorn in the county of Durham, or near a hawthorn shrub or tree. Thus, the surname Haythorn belongs both the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads, and to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. The surname Haythorn is derived from the Old English word haguthorn, which means hawthorn.

Early Origins of the Haythorn family

The surname Haythorn was first found in Durham at Hawthorn, a township in the parish of Easington. The township dates back to 1155 when it was originally spelt Hagethorn and literally meant "place at the hawthorn," from the Old English "hagu-thorn." 1 The place is most significant as "on the 5th of November, 1824, not less than 50 vessels perished in a storm immediately off this part, and the crews of all were lost, with the exception of the crew of one only, who were enabled to effect their escape by means of a rope, thrown from the vessel, and brought to land by a Newfoundland dog belonging to Major Anderson." 2 "The New England family of this name left this country [(England)] in or before 1634, and until recently wrote themselves Hathorne." 3 In Scotland, the name is an old Galloway name. "A family of the name were proprietors of Meikle or Over Aires in the parish of Kirkinner." 4 In other parts of England, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 revealed: Galfridus Hackthom in Huntingdonshire; and John atte Horethorne in Somerset. 5

Early History of the Haythorn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Haythorn research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1455, 1484, 1602, 1606, 1628, 1630, 1641, 1681, 1692, 1717, 1804, 1864 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Haythorn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Haythorn Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Haythorn have been found, including Hawthorne, Hathorne, Hawthorn and others.

Early Notables of the Haythorn family

Notables of the family at this time include Major William Hathorne (ca. 1606-1681), English immigrant to North America in 1630; and his son, John Hathorne (1641-1717), a merchant and magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Justice of the Special Court...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Haythorn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Haythorn family to Ireland

Some of the Haythorn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Haythorn migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Haythorn, or a variant listed above:

Haythorn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Haythorn, who landed in America in 1812 6


The Haythorn 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: Stabo
Motto Translation: I shall stand.


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  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. 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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