Hornaday History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Hornaday name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in one of the places called Hornby in Lancashire, Westmorland (now part of Cumbria), or the North Riding of Yorkshire. "This place is distinguished for its castle, which stands on the site of a Roman villa, on the summit of a bold rock of conical form, in many parts shrouded by trees, and washed by the Wenning at its base. The castle was originally founded soon after the Norman Conquest." 1

Early Origins of the Hornaday family

The surname Hornaday was first found in Lancashire at Hornby, a township and chapelry, and formerly a market-town, in the parish of Melling, hundred of Lonsdale. There are two Hornby Castles of note: the first in Lancashire which was originally built for the Neville family in the 13th century, and the second in Yorkshire, home to the St. Quintin family.

However, we must look to the latter shire to find the first record of the surname, namely William de Horneby, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1205. John Hornby was listed in Gloucestershire in 1376. 2 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list the following: Johannes de Horneby and Agnes de Horneby. 3

Early History of the Hornaday family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hornaday research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1518, 1618, 1619, 1638, 1662 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Hornaday History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hornaday 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 Hornaday has undergone many spelling variations, including Hornby, Hornbie and others.

Early Notables of the Hornaday family

Notables of the family at this time include Henry Horneby (d. 1518), Master of Peterhouse, was perhaps a native of Lincolnshire. He became a member of Clare Hall, and was afterwards elected to a fellowship at Michaelhouse. 4William Hornby (fl. 1618), was English poet and was, "according to his own account, educated at Peterborough...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hornaday Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hornaday 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 Hornaday were among those contributors:

Hornaday Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Helen Rose Hornaday, aged 22, who arrived in New York in 1905 aboard the ship "Minneapolis" from London, England 5
William Hornaday, aged 66, who arrived in New York, N.Y in 1921 aboard the ship "Fort Hamilton" from Hamilton, Bermuda 5
Josephine Hornaday, aged 66, who arrived in New York, N.Y in 1921 aboard the ship "Fort Hamilton" from Hamilton, Bermuda 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Hornaday (post 1700) +

Ron "Ronnie" Hornaday III (b. 1979), American NASCAR driver, son of Ron Hornaday Jr
William Temple Hornaday (1854-1937), American zoologist, credited with saving the American bison, eponym of Mount Hornaday, first director of the New York Zoological Park, known today as the Bronx Zoo
Ronald Lee "Ron" Hornaday Jr. (b. 1958), American NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver
Ron Hornaday Sr. (1931-2008), American NASCAR driver, father of Hornaday Jr. and the grandfather of Ronnie Hornaday
Jeffrey Hornaday, American choreographer and film director

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result