Horroxfert History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Horroxfert comes from when its first bearer worked as a shipwright or a sailor. The surname Horroxfert is derived from the Old English word horrok, which means part of a ship. 1

Occupational names frequently were derived from the principal object associated with the activity of the original bearer, such as tools or products. These types of occupational surnames are called metonymic surnames.

Early Origins of the Horroxfert family

The surname Horroxfert was first found in Lancashire at Horrocksford. 2

"This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'Of Horrocks,' probably the spot known as Horrocksford Hall, in the parish of Clitheroe, Lancashire." 3

The first record of the family was actually found in Berkshire where John Horroc was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. 1

Early History of the Horroxfert family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Horroxfert research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1584, 1596, 1604, 1617, 1619, 1639, 1641 and 1777 are included under the topic Early Horroxfert History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Horroxfert Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Horroxfert include Horrocks, Horrock, Horrox, Horrocksford, Horrex and others.

Early Notables of the Horroxfert family

Notables of the family at this time include Jeremiah Horrocks (1619-1641) English astronomer, born in Liverpool, who became curate of Hoole, Lancashire where he made his first observation of the transit of Venus on November 24, 1639. He then deduced the solar parallax, corrected the solar diameter and made tidal observations. He was "born at Toxteth Park...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Horroxfert Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Horroxfert family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Horroxfert or a variant listed above: Thomas Horrocks settled in Virginia in 1635; George, Jeremiah Horrock and George, Henry, John, Thomas, William Willoughby, Wright Horrocks, arrived in Philadelphia between 1820 and 1860..

The Horroxfert Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Spe
Motto Translation: By hope.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)