Horsfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Horsfield arrived in North America very early:

Horsfield Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• John Adam Horsfield, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1764 1
• John Adam Horsfield, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1764 1

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Horsfield Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Mr. James Horsfield U.E. born in New York, USA who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 2
• Mr. Thomas Horsfield U.E. born in New York, USA who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 2

Horsfield Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Mrs. Betsy Horsfield, (b. 1828), aged 33, English settler, from Lancashire travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Stuart" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th October 1861 3
• Mr. Charles Horsfield, (b. 1834), aged 27, English farm labourer, from Lancashire travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Stuart" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th October 1861 3
• Miss Harriet Horsfield, (b. 1857), aged 4, English settler, from Lancashire travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Stuart" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th October 1861 3
• Mr. Thomas Horsfield, (b. 1859), aged 2, English settler, from Lancashire travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Stuart" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th October 1861 3
• Mr. Horsfield, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Norfolk" arriving in Wellington, North Island, New Zealand on 18th June 1880 4

• Thomas Horsfield MD (1773-1859), American physician and naturalist, eponym of Horsfield's tortoise or the Central Asian tortoise, Horsfield's fruit bat, Horsfield's treeshrew and many others 5
• Rev. Thomas Walker Horsfield FSA (1792-1837), English Nonconformist minister, topographer, and historian 5
• Geoffrey Malcolm "Geoff" Horsfield (b. 1973), English former professional footballer who played from 1992 to 2013 and football coach of Port Vale (2010-2011)
• Debbie Horsfield (b. 1955), English theatre and television writer and producer
• Craigie Horsfield (b. 1949), English artist who was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1996
• Arthur Horsfield (b. 1946), English former footballer who played from 1963 to 1977
• Dr. Gordon Christopher Horsfield C.B.E., British recipient of Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 17th June 2017, for services to Young People and to Charitable Giving
• George Horsfield (1882-1956), British architect and archaeologist, Chief Inspector of Antiquities in Transjordan (1928-1936)
• Corporal Kenneth Horsfield GC (1920-1944), British soldier who was posthumously awarded the George Cross for the courage he showed in attempting to rescue a comrade who was trapped and injured by an explosion in Italy in 1945