Hignett is a name that was brought to
England by the ancestors of the Hignett family when they emigrated following the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Hignett comes from the Norman name
Odinet, from which the more commonly known
Odo is derived.
Early Origins of the Hignett family
The surname Hignett was first found in
Shropshire at Hodnet, a village and civil parish in the union of Drayton, in the
hundred of North Bradford. The first record of the place name was found in the
Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Odenet.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) Apart from the aforementioned
patronymic origin, the place name could also mean "pleasant valley," from the
Welsh "hawdd" meaning "pleasant" or "peaceful" and "nant," a "glen or valley."
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Early History of the Hignett family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hignett research.
Another 239 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1116 and 1237 are included under the topic Early Hignett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hignett Spelling Variations
Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason,
spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Hignett were recorded, including Hodenet, Hignett, Hignet, Hodnet, Hodnett, Hodenett, Hodinett, Hodinutt, Hodinut, Hodinott, Hodinot, Hoddenett, Hoddinet, Hoddinutt and many more.
Early Notables of the Hignett family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Hignett Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Hignett family to Ireland
Some of the Hignett family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 197 words (14 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 Hignett family to the New World and Oceana
The unstable environment in
England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like
Ireland,
Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Hignett arrived in North America very early:
Hignett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Elizabeth and James Hignett, who sailed to Maryland in 1666
- Eliza Hignett, who landed in Maryland in 1666 [3]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) - James Hignett, who arrived in Maryland in 1666 [3]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) - Robert Hignett, who arrived in Maryland in 1666 [3]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) - Robert, Hignett Jr., who landed in Maryland in 1666 [3]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) - ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Hignett (post 1700)
- Sam Hignett (1885-1933), English footballer who played for Liverpool (1906-1908)
- Richard Graeme Hignett (1972-1992), English cricketer who played for Cheshire (1992-2003)
- Craig Hignett (b. 1970), English former footballer and currently manager of Hartlepool United
- Alan Hignett (1946-1963), English footballer who played for Liverpool (1963-1966) and Chester (1966-1967)
- Mary Hignett (1915-1980), British actress, best known for her role as Edna Hall in the television series All Creatures Great and Small