The
Anglo-Saxon name Highway comes from when the family resided in
Wiltshire, where they took their name from the place-name Highway. The place-name Highway was spelt in the
Domesday Book of 1086, as Hiwei. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English elements
heg and
weg, which meant "road used for carrying hay." The original bearer of the name may have resided nest to such a feature; however, the late date of the first appearance of the surname (1324) suggests that the place-name preceded the surname and that the surname is directly derived from the place.
Early Origins of the Highway family
The surname Highway was first found in
Wiltshire, where evidence suggests they held a
family seat before the Norman Conquest.
Early History of the Highway family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Highway research.
Another 256 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1272, 1307, and 1620 are included under the topic Early Highway History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Highway Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,
spelling variations are common among early
Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Highway has been recorded under many different variations, including Highway, Heyweye, Hiwei, Heighway and others.
Early Notables of the Highway family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Highway Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Highway family to the New World and Oceana
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded
England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Highway or a variant listed above:
Highway Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- John Highway, who sailed to Maryland in 1674
- John Highway, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 [1]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) - Thomas Highway also sailed to Maryland in 1679
- Thomas Highway, who arrived in Maryland in 1679 [1]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)
Highway Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Samuel Highway, who settled in Ohio in 1812
- Samuel Highway, aged 25, who landed in Ohio in 1812 [1]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)
Highway Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- John Highway, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cairngorm" in 1863
- Edward Highway, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cairngorm" in 1863
Contemporary Notables of the name Highway (post 1700)
- Tomson Highway, Canadian artistic director and playwright