Heathcach History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Heathcach family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in either of the parishes named Heathcote in Derbyshire and Warwickshire. Of the two, we found more information about the Derbyshire parish. Dating back to the 12th century, this parish literally meant "cottage on a heath," from the Old English "haeth" + "cot." [1]

Early Origins of the Heathcach family

The surname Heathcach was first found in Derbyshire where the name could have been derived from someone who lived at "the heath-cottage" or "the cot on this heath." [2]

The first record of the family was that of Godfrey de Hetcota who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire in 1166. Years later, Ralph de Hethcote was listed in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1227. [3] Later again, Walter Hathecok was listed in Essex in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. [4]

Early History of the Heathcach family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heathcach research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1609, 1719, 1652, 1733, 1665, 1721, 1711, 1713, 1689, 1759, 1715 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Heathcach History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heathcach Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Heathcach include Heathcote, Heathcoat, Heathcoat and others.

Early Notables of the Heathcach family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet (1652-1733), Governor of the Bank of England and Lord Mayor of London; and his brother, Caleb...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heathcach Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Heathcach family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Heathcach or a variant listed above: John Heathcoate settled in Jamaica in 1685; Jasper Heathcoat settled in New England in 1850; Edward Heathcote settled in Virginia in 1721; along with James.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)