Show ContentsHearnes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hearnes Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Hearnes

What does the name Hearnes mean?

The distinguished English surname Hearnes comes from several different origins. Firstly, it is derived from the Old English "hyrne," meaning "nook, corner;" in this instance, the name would have been originally borne by someone who lived in a corner residence.

Alternatively, the name may be derived from a place name; there is a town called Herne in Kent and a Hirn in Hampshire, and the progenitor of the name may have hailed from one of these towns. Finally, the name may be a variant of the surname Heron.

Early Origins and Etymology of Hearnes

The surname Hearnes was first found in Dorset at Hurn, village and civil parish that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Herne. 1

Literally the place name means "place at the angle or corner of land," from the Old English word "hyrne." 2

Holbeach Hurn is a small fenland village in the South Holland district of southern Lincolnshire and Hurn is a tything, in the parish, union, and hundred of Christchurch, Ringwood in the county of Southampton. 3

The first record of the family was found in Hampshire where Gunnora de la Hurn was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1212. Later Walter Atehurne was registered in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1267 and later again, Henry en le Hurne was registered in the Hundredorum Rolls for Berkshire in 1279. 4

In Oxfordshire Ralph in pe Hurne was registered there in 1279 and later, William del Herne was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 4

Early History of the Hearnes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hearnes research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1212, 1267, 1279, 1327, 1524, 1610, 1611, 1620, 1644, 1670, 1678, 1710, 1711, 1722, 1735 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Hearnes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hearnes Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Hearnes has been recorded under many different variations, including Hern, Herne, Hearn, Hearne, Hurn, Hurne, Harn and others.

Early Notables of the Hearnes family

Thomas Herne or Haveringland, sheriff of Norfolk who was ennobled in 1620. John Herne (fl. 1644), was an English lawyer, admitted a student at Lincoln's Inn on 21 Jan. 1610-1611, and was afterwards called to the bar there. 5 Thomas Herne (d. 1722), was a controversialist, a native of Suffolk who was admitted as a pensioner at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, on...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hearnes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hearnes family to Ireland

Some of the Hearnes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hearnes 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:

Hearnes Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Hearnes, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Armstrong" in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Hearnes (post 1700) +

  • Betty Sue Hearnes (1927-2023), née Cooper, American Democratic politician from Missouri, Member of the Missouri House of Representatives (1979-1989), First Lady of Missouri (1965-1973)
  • Warren E. Hearnes (1923-2009), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Missouri State House of Representatives, 1950-61; Secretary of State of Missouri, 1961-65; Governor of Missouri, 1965-73 6
  • Howard Hearnes Carwile (1911-1987), American lawyer and politician
  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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