Show ContentsHurn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hurn Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Hurn

What does the name Hurn mean?

The distinguished English surname Hurn comes from several different origins. Firstly, it is derived from the Old English "hyrne," meaning "nook, corner;" in this instance, the name would have been originally borne by someone who lived in a corner residence.

Alternatively, the name may be derived from a place name; there is a town called Herne in Kent and a Hirn in Hampshire, and the progenitor of the name may have hailed from one of these towns. Finally, the name may be a variant of the surname Heron.

Early Origins and Etymology of Hurn

The surname Hurn was first found in Dorset at Hurn, village and civil parish that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Herne. 1

Literally the place name means "place at the angle or corner of land," from the Old English word "hyrne." 2

Holbeach Hurn is a small fenland village in the South Holland district of southern Lincolnshire and Hurn is a tything, in the parish, union, and hundred of Christchurch, Ringwood in the county of Southampton. 3

The first record of the family was found in Hampshire where Gunnora de la Hurn was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1212. Later Walter Atehurne was registered in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1267 and later again, Henry en le Hurne was registered in the Hundredorum Rolls for Berkshire in 1279. 4

In Oxfordshire Ralph in pe Hurne was registered there in 1279 and later, William del Herne was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 4

Early History of the Hurn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hurn research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1212, 1267, 1279, 1327, 1524, 1610, 1611, 1620, 1644, 1670, 1678, 1710, 1711, 1722, 1735 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Hurn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hurn Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Hurn include Hern, Herne, Hearn, Hearne, Hurn, Hurne, Harn and others.

Early Notables of the Hurn family

Thomas Herne or Haveringland, sheriff of Norfolk who was ennobled in 1620. John Herne (fl. 1644), was an English lawyer, admitted a student at Lincoln's Inn on 21 Jan. 1610-1611, and was afterwards called to the bar there. 5 Thomas Herne (d. 1722), was a controversialist, a native of Suffolk who was admitted as a pensioner at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, on...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hurn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hurn family to Ireland

Some of the Hurn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hurn migration to Australia +

Hurn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Hurn, English convict who was convicted in Warminster, Wiltshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 28th March 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) from Bermuda 6
  • William Hurn, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "The Stebonheath" in 1850 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Hurn (post 1700) +

  • Bert C. Hurn, American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, 1969-77 8
  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bangalore
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The STEBONHEATH 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Stebonheath.htm
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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