Heardaker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Heardaker dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Hardacre, Clapham, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The place-name is derived from the Old English personal name Hearda, and the Old English word æcer or the Old Scandinavian word akr, both of which mean "plot of cultivated land." The place-name as a whole means "Hearda's farmland." 1

Another source claims the name was derived from the ancient Saxon word Hardgear meaning "a strong spear," and in this case it would not have any relationship to farmland.

Early Origins of the Heardaker family

The surname Heardaker was first found in Yorkshire where the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include: Willelmus Hardaker; and Nicholaus Harthacre as holding lands there at that time. "Yorkshire must be looked upon as the chief centre." 2

There was one lone early entry for the family in Somerset, that of John de Hordacre, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III." 3

And in the village of Charlton, Worcestershire, in 1240 records show William de Handsacre held Charlton Manor.

Early History of the Heardaker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heardaker research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1321 and 1343 are included under the topic Early Heardaker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heardaker 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 Heardaker have been found, including Hardacre, Hardaker, Hardiker, Handsacre, Handacre and others.

Early Notables of the Heardaker family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir William Handsacre (b. c. 1300) in Handesacre in Armitage, Staffordshire. He married Eleanor circa 1321 at of Charlton, Worcestershire. His daughter Elizabeth married...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heardaker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Heardaker family

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 Heardaker, or a variant listed above: George Hardacre, who arrived in Maine in 1779.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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.