Show ContentsHore History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Hore

What does the name Hore mean?

The name Hore comes from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name for a person who had grey hair or appeared aged. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames, referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been Norman in origin. In this case, it was derived from the "Norman-French pronunciation of Aure, with an aspirate. The name Aure, Alre, or Auré was a Breton name, derived from Auray, in Bretagne, of which the family were hereditary Castellans." 2

Another source claims the name was from Ore in Sussex and literally meant "dweller by the bank" from the Old English word "ora." 3

Early Origins of the Hore family

The surname Hore was first found in Suffolk and Middlesex and other counties throughout Britain. By example, William Hore was listed in Suffolk in 1188, Robert, William le Hore was listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1203. Gilbert de Hore was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1200 and Richard de la Hore was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Devon in 1230. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Adam le Hore in Derbyshire, John le Horre in Norfolk, and Alicia la Hore in Oxfordshire. Kirby's Quest of Somerset lists Richard le Hore there temp. 1 Edward III. 1 4

In southern England in the parish of St. Ervan, Cornwall early records of another branch of the family were found. "Another reputed manor in this parish called Trenowth, was for several generations the property and residence of a family called Hore, with whom it remained so late as the time of Norden; but this estate has long since ceased to be considered as a manor." 5

Early History of the Hore family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hore research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1188, 1203, 1208, 1230, 1235, 1622, 1630, 1638, 1648, 1675, 1704, 1707, 1710, 1712, 1713, 1719, 1773, 1792 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Hore History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hore Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Hore has undergone many spelling variations, including Hoar, Hoare, Hore and others.

Early Notables of the Hore family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Leonard Hoar (1630-1675), an English-born early American settler, minister and educator born in Gloucestershire arriving in America c. 1638, who later became President of Harvard College. He was the fourth son of Charles Hoare. Some time after the death of his father in 1638 he emigrated with his mother to America. 6John Hoar (1622-1704), was an American militia leader & Indian liaison in colonial Massachusetts during King Philip's War, best known for securing the release of Mary Rowlandson from Indian captivity at Redemption RockSir Richard Hoare (1648-1719), was Sheriff of London in 1710...
Another 136 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hore Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hore family to Ireland

Some of the Hore family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Hore migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Hore were among those contributors:

Hore Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Ezechia Hore, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1633 aboard the ship "Recovery" 7
  • Richard Hore, aged 24, who arrived in Virginia in 1634 aboard the ship "Bonaventure" coming via St. Domingo 8
  • James Hore, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 8
  • Bartholomew Hore, who settled in New England in 1654
  • Christopher Hore, who settled in Virginia in 1663
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hore Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Joseph Hore, who landed in Virginia in 1704 8
  • Nicho Hore, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 8
  • Philip Jacob Hore, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 8
  • Georg Hore, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 8
  • Sebastian Hore, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1754 8
Hore Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Andrew Hore, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1812 8
  • Francis Hore, who landed in New York in 1825 8
  • Mr. J. Hore, (b. 1815), aged 26, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 25 May 1841 9
  • Mrs. E. Hore, (b. 1815), aged 26, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 25 May 1841 9
  • Mr. W. Hore, (b. 1835), aged 6, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 25 May 1841 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hore Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. John Henry Hore, (b. 1879), aged 21, Cornish miner from St. Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 17th March 1900 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 10
  • Mr. Sampson Hore, (b. 1878), aged 25, Cornish miner from St. Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 22nd July 1903 en route to Goldfiled, Colorado, USA 10
  • Miss Daisy Hore, (b. 1893), aged 10, Cornish settler from St. Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th October 1903 en route to Montana, USA 10
  • Mr. Daniel Hore, (b. 1880), aged 23, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th August 1903 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 10
  • Miss Elsie Hore, (b. 1886), aged 17, Cornish settler from St. Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th October 1903 en route to Montana, USA 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hore migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hore Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Fredrick Delks Hore, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1760

Hore migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hore Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Miss Johanna Hore, (Joan), English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Hore Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Hore, British Convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
  • Mr. John Elford Hore, English convict who was convicted in Plymouth, Devon, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 13
  • Mr. John Elford Hore, (b. 1809), aged 36 born in Southdown, Cornwall, UK convicted in Plymouth on 14th April 1845, sentenced for 14 years for stealing mahogany, transported aboard the ship "Equestrian" in 1845 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 14
  • Henry Hore, aged 32, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Reliance" 15
  • Miss Mary Hore, English convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 25th November 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hore migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hore Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Elizabeth H. Hore, (b. 1876), aged 2, Cornish settler departing on 1st November 1878 aboard the ship "Waikato" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 18th January 1878 17
  • Mrs. Ellen J. Hore, (b. 1855), aged 23, Cornish settler departing on 1st November 1878 aboard the ship "Waikato" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 18th January 1878 17
  • Miss Ida L. Hore, (b. 1878), aged 4 months, Cornish settler departing on 1st November 1878 aboard the ship "Waikato" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 18th January 1878 17
  • Mr. Samuel Hore, (b. 1852), aged 26, Cornish farm labourer departing on 1st November 1878 aboard the ship "Waikato" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 18th January 1878 17
  • Mr. Woodman Hore, Jr., (b. 1858), aged 20, Cornish farm labourer departing on 10th August 1878 aboard the ship "Hydaspes" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 9th November 1878 17
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hore (post 1700) +

  • Peter Hore, English Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and fellow of Corpus Christi college
  • Kenneth John Hore (b. 1947), known as John Hore, is an English former football defender
  • John Denver Hore (1944-2022), better known by his stage name of John Grenell, a New Zealand country singer and songwriter
  • Charlie Hore (b. 1976), New Zealand rugby union player, brother of Andrew Hore
  • Bradley Arthur Hore (b. 1981), Australian indigenous boxer at the 2004 Summer Olympics
  • Andrew Hore (b. 1978), Australian former rugby union player who played for the All Blacks from 2002 to 2013

HMAS Sydney II


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. 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)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  5. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  7. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  8. 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)
  9. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  10. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
  14. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/tasmanian_convicts_cornish.pdf
  15. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RELIANCE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Reliance.htm
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
  17. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
  18. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp


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