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![Show Contents]() Heatfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The ancestors of the Heatfield surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they 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 Heatfield 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 Heatfield familyThe surname Heatfield 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 Heatfield familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heatfield research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heatfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Heatfield Spelling VariationsBefore English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Heatfield include Heathfield, Heatfield, Heethfield, Heathfeild, Heatfeild and many more. Early Notables of the Heatfield familyMore information is included under the topic Early Heatfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Heatfield familyA great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: 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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