Heys is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in
England with the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The Heys family lived in
Herefordshire. This name, however, does not refer to that municipality, but is topographical in nature and indicates that the original bearer lived near an enclosure of some sort. It derives from the Old English word
haye, which means
enclosure. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8) Another source claims the name was for a "dweller at the hedge or hedged enclosure; keeper of the hedges or fences; one who came from Hayes (enclosure.)"
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York, Harper & Row, 1956. PrintEarly Origins of the Heys family
The surname Heys was first found in
Herefordshire where Bartholomew de la Hase held a fief in 1165. He claimed descent from Hayes near Blois,
Normandy.
[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X) From this early origin, the name was listed in a few locations, specifically, Norfolk, where some of the first records of the name were Edorard de lis Heys and John del Heys who were listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls listed Nicholaa de la Hay in Lincolnshire. [4]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) William de Hayes was listed in Northamptonshire in the 13th century as a follower of John Giffard (1232-1299), the English nobleman, but had his house plundered after the Battle of Evesham in 1265. [4]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Early History of the Heys family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heys research.
Another 206 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1637, 1694, 1663, 1672, 1641, 1712, 1686, 1703, 1768, 1831 and 1182 are included under the topic Early Heys History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Heys Spelling Variations
Endless
spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Hayes, Hayse, Hays and others.
Early Notables of the Heys family (pre 1700)
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Hayes of London; Sir James Hayes (1637-1694), founding Fellow of the Royal Society in 1663, Secretary to Prince Rupert and first Deputy-Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company in...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heys Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Heys family to Ireland
Some of the Heys family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 217 words (16 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Heys family to the New World and Oceana
To escape the political and religious persecution within
England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Heys or a variant listed above:
Heys Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Fredk Heys, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 [5]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8) - Johan Heys, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1786 [5]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8) - Danl Heys, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1786 [5]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Heys Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- David Heys, English convict from Chester, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia [6]CITATION[CLOSE]
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
Contemporary Notables of the name Heys (post 1700)
- John Edward Heys (b. 1948), American filmmaker and actor
- Stephen Heys (b. 1879), English professional footballer from Accrington
- Howard M. Heys, Canadian cryptographer and professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland
Historic Events for the Heys family
- Mr. William W Heys (b. 1908), English Sick Berth Attendant serving for the Royal Navy from Healey, Lancashire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the sinking [7]CITATION[CLOSE]
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm