Show ContentsHazelton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hazelton is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in one of a variety of similarly-named places. The parishes of Cold Hesleton (Hesleden) and Monk Hesleton (Hesleden) are in Durham. Both date back to Saxon times when they were collectively known as Heseldene c. 1050 and literally meant "valley where hazels grow." 1

Haslingden in Lancashire dates back to 1241 when it was known as Heselingedon and meant "valley where hazels grow." 1 Hazeldon Farm is in Wiltshire, and Hazelton is in Gloucestershire. The surname Hazelton belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Hazelton family

The surname Hazelton was first found in Sussex at ancient manor in or near Dallington. 2 The name is derived from the Old English words hoesel + denu, which mean "Hazel" + "valley." 3 Hazleton Abbey was an abbey in Gloucestershire.

Early rolls revealed Robert de Heseldene in the Assize Rolls for Surham in 1243; Alexander de Haselinden in Kirkstal, Yorkshire in 1258; Reginald de Haselden in the Hundredorum Rolls for Warwickshire in 1275; and William de Heseldenn in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussexin in 1296. 4

In Somerset, early records there found: William de Haseldin; and Adam Haseldene, both listed 1, Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Willelmus de Hesledyn; and Jeppe de Hesilden as both hold lands there at that time. 6

Early History of the Hazelton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hazelton research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1595, 1690, 1710, 1740 and 1763 are included under the topic Early Hazelton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hazelton Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hazelton family name include Hazeltine, Hazelton, Hazletine, Hasleden, Hazleton, Haseltine, Haselton, Hasletine, Haslett, Aseltine and many more.

Early Notables of the Hazelton family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Haselden (d. 1740), English mathematician who was for some time schoolmaster at Wapping Old Stairs, and afterwards 'head-master of the Royal Academy at Portsmouth.' 7Richard Hasleton (fl. 1595), was an English traveller who has related his travels in the very scarce 'Strange and wonderful things happened to Rd. Hasleton, borne at Braintree...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hazelton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hazelton Ranking

In the United States, the name Hazelton is the 5,229th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 8

Migration of the Hazelton family to Ireland

Some of the Hazelton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Hazelton migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Hazelton surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Hazelton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Hazelton, who settled in New York State in 1811
  • John Hazelton, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 9

Hazelton migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hazelton Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Ransom Hazelton, who landed in Canada in 1841
  • Miss. Dora Hazelton, aged 19 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Ganges" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle In October 2, 1847 10
  • Ms. Margaret Hazelton, aged 20 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Ganges" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on September 28th, 1847 10

Hazelton migration to Australia +

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

Hazelton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Hazelton, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 8th December 1839, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mr. William Hazelton, English convict who was convicted in Winchester, Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 1st January 1850, arriving in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia 12

Hazelton 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:

Hazelton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Hazelton, (b. 1847), aged 28, Irish farm labourer from County Tyrone travelling from London aboard the ship "Waimate" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 4th December 1875 13
  • Mrs. Annie Hazelton, (b. 1845), aged 30, Irish settler from County Tyrone travelling from London aboard the ship "Waimate" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 4th December 1875 13
  • Miss Jane Hazelton, (b. 1872), aged 3, Irish settler from County Tyrone travelling from London aboard the ship "Waimate" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 4th December 1875 13
  • Miss Annie Hazelton, (b. 1874), aged 10 months, Irish settler from County Tyrone travelling from London aboard the ship "Waimate" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 4th December 1875, she died on board 13

Contemporary Notables of the name Hazelton (post 1700) +

  • Robert G. III Hazelton, American Republican politician, Candidate for Massachusetts State House of Representatives Fifteenth Essex District, 2002 14
  • Porter Hazelton, American politician, Mayor of Flint, Michigan, 1859-60 14
  • John Wright Hazelton (1814-1878), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New Jersey, 1856, 1868 ; U.S. Representative from New Jersey 1st District, 1871-75 14
  • Philip A. Hazelton, American politician, Delegate to New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention from Hebron, 1956 14
  • Homer W. Hazelton, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Macomb County 2nd District, 1952; Republican Candidate for Michigan State Senate, 1954 (primary, 11th District), 1956 (11th District), 1960 (11th District), 1964 (27th District) 14
  • Harry Hazelton, American politician, Candidate for Governor of Montana, 1908 14
  • Gerry Whiting Hazelton (1829-1920), American Republican politician, Member of Wisconsin State Senate, 1861-62; Columbia County District Attorney, 1865; U.S. Representative from Wisconsin 2nd District, 1871-75; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1876-85 14
  • George W. Hazelton, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Jefferson County 2nd District, 1862 14
  • George H. Hazelton, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 3rd District, 1848 14
  • George Cochrane Hazelton (1832-1922), American Republican politician, Grant County Prosecuting Attorney; Member of Wisconsin State Senate, 1867; U.S. Representative from Wisconsin 3rd District, 1877-83 14
  • ... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Flight TWA 800
  • Mrs. Sandra M. Hazelton (d. 1996), from Beachwood, Ohio, USA, American passenger traveling with Katrina M. Rose flying aboard Flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; she died in the crash 15


The Hazelton 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: Pro aris et focis
Motto Translation: For our altars and our homes


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  7. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  8. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  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. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 33)
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
  13. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  14. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  15. The Washington Post Passenger List TWA Flight 800. (Retrieved 2018, February 15th). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/twa800/list01.htm


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