Hewgill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Hewgill

The ancient history of the Hewgill name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Howgill or Hugill. Howgill is in Sedburgh, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Hugill is in Westmorland (now part of Cumbria). The names have a common origin, however. They are based on the Old Norse word haugrgeil, which means "barrow (hill) in a ravine."

Early Origins of the Hewgill family

Early History of the Hewgill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hewgill research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hewgill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hewgill 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 Hewgill include Hewgill, Hugill, Hugil and others.

Early Notables of the Hewgill family

• Hewgill of Yorkshire

Migration of the Hewgill 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 Hewgill or a variant listed above: John and Eleanor Hugil who settled in New York State in 1820 with eight children; Abraham Hugle settled in Philadelphia in 1754; with Charity; Arnold and Killian Hugle settled in Philadelphia in 1875..