Helser History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Helser family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the county of Devon in an area that was near the hazel-trees. Helser is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree.

Early Origins of the Helser family

The surname Helser was first found in Surrey where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Helser family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Helser research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1708, 1839, 1920 and 1927 are included under the topic Early Helser History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Helser 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 Helser include Halsey, Hallsey and others.

Early Notables of the Helser family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Thomas Frederick Halsey, 1st Baronet PC (1839-1927), an English politician; and John Halsey (died 1708) was a colonial American privateer and a later pirate who was active in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans during the early 18th century. According to Forbes, he was the eighth highest earning pirate...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Helser Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Helser 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 Helser or a variant listed above: Thomas Halsey of Geddesden Park settled in Long Island in 1640; John Halsey settled in Boston Mass in 1635 with his brother Richard; George Halsey settled in New England in 1630.

The Helser Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nescit vox missa reverti
Motto Translation: When a word is once spoken it cannot be recalled.