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![Show Contents]() Heafields History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The origins of the Heafields name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived on a heath, which is an area of level, uncultivated land with poor, coarse, undrained soil and rich deposits of peat or peaty humus. The surname Heafields belongs 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 name was originally derived from the Old English words hæth, which meant heath, and the word feld, which meant field. Early Origins of the Heafields familyThe surname Heafields was first found in Sussex at Heathfield, a parish, in the union of Hailsham, hundred of Hawkesborough, rape of Hastings. 1 The Feet of Fines of 1265 in Norfolk list the first record of the name as Walter de Hethfeld. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Lynot de Hethefeld and Livesa de Hethfeld in Oxfordshire. 2 Heathfield is the scene of a severe battle in the year 635, between Cadwallo, and Edwin of Northumbria and his son Osfrid, on a spot since now named Slaughter Common. Early History of the Heafields familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heafields research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heafields History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Heafields Spelling VariationsBefore the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Heafields were recorded, including Heathfield, Heatfield, Heethfield, Heathfeild, Heatfeild and many more. Early Notables of the Heafields familyMore information is included under the topic Early Heafields Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Heafields familyTo escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Heafields family emigrate to North America: John Heathfield settled in Barbados in 1685; along with his wife Margaret.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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