Show ContentsHoughlent History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Houghlent is a name whose history is connected to the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Houghlent family once lived in one of four places named Hoyland in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Houghlent belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Houghlent family

The surname Houghlent was first found in Yorkshire at either High Hoyland, Upper or Lower Hoyland, and Hoyland Swaine. All three parishes and villages are listed in the Domesday Book of 1086: Holand for Hoyland High; Hoiland for Hoyland Nether; and Hollande for Hoyland Swaine. 1 2

All of the villages literally mean "cultivated land on or near a hill-spur," from the Old English words "hoh" + "land." The latter "Swaine" variant is believed to be a manorial affix added in the 12th century from a man called, Swein. 3

Early History of the Houghlent family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Houghlent research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1147, 1172, 1187, 1540, 1591, 1600 and 1673 are included under the topic Early Houghlent History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Houghlent Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Houghlent family name include Howland, Hoyland and others.

Early Notables of the Houghlent family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Richard Howland D.D. (1540-1600), Bishop of Peterborough, the son and heir of John Howland, gentleman, of the city of London, and Anne Greenway of Cley, Norfolk, was...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Houghlent Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Houghlent family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Houghlent surname or a spelling variation of the name include: John Howland came over on the "Mayflower" in 1620 with his Elizabeth Carver; Henry Howland settled in New England in 1630; along with Arthur.



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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