Show ContentsHazard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hazard is a name whose history begins in 1066 with the Norman Conquest of England. This Norman name was used 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 Hazard family

The surname Hazard 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 Hazard family

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

Hazard Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Hazard, Hasard, Hassard and others.

Early Notables of the Hazard family

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

Hazard Ranking

In the United States, the name Hazard is the 7,483rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 7 However, in France, the name Hazard is ranked the 2,216th most popular surname with an estimated 2,880 people with that name. 8

Ireland Migration of the Hazard family to Ireland

Some of the Hazard 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 Hazard migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hazard or a variant listed above:

Hazard Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Hazard, aged 40, who arrived in Virginia in 1618 aboard the ship "William and Thomas" 9
  • Ione Hazard, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 9
  • Thomas Hazard, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635 9
  • Sarah Hazard, who settled in Virginia in 1654
  • Edward Hazard, who arrived in Maryland in 1664 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hazard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Hazard, aged 33, who arrived in New York in 1719 9
  • Richard Hazard, who settled in Virginia in 1732
Hazard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Hazard, who arrived in America in 1801 9
  • Patrick and Richard Hazard, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1813 and 1838 respectively
  • Edward Charlamun Hazard, who landed in Mississippi in 1833 9

Canada Hazard migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hazard Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Hazard U.E. born in Rhode Island, USA who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 10
Hazard Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Hazard, who landed in Canada in 1831

Australia Hazard migration to Australia +

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

Hazard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Jason Hazard, aged 23, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Agincourt"

New Zealand Hazard 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:

Hazard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William H. Hazard, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gertrude" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th February 1863 11
  • Ann Hazard, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blue Jacket" in 1865
  • Miss Matilda Hazard, (b. 1838), aged 28, British domestic servant travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Bombay" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 18th August 1866 11
  • Mary Hazard, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1873
  • William C. Hazard, aged 24, a shoemaker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Strathnaver" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Hazard (post 1700) +

  • Geoffrey Cornell Hazard Jr. (1929-2018), American lawyer and academic, Trustee Professor of Law Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Sterling Professor Emeritus of Law at Yale Law School
  • William A. Hazard, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1896; National Democratic Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 1st District, 1896 12
  • Thomas P. Hazard, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Rhode Island, 1932; Rhode Island general treasurer; Elected 1938 12
  • Samuel Hazard, American politician, U.S. Consul in Archangel, 1811-14; Antwerp, 1814-17 12
  • Mrs. T. P. Hazard, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Rhode Island, 1932 12
  • Rowland R. Hazard Jr., American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Rhode Island, 1860 12
  • Rowland K. Hazard, American politician, U.S. Attorney for Canal Zone, 1952-70 12
  • Rowland G. Hazard, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Rhode Island, 1904; Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Rhode Island, 1912 12
  • Rowland G. Hazard, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Rhode Island, 1856, 1860, 1868; Presidential Elector for Rhode Island, 1880 12
  • Roscoe E. Hazard, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for California, 1956 12
  • ... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  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. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  9. 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)
  10. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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