Longhirst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Longhirst

What does the name Longhirst mean?

The name Longhirst first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the ancient town of Langhurst in the southern county of Surrey. This habitation name was originally derived from the Old English words lang meaning long and hyrst meaning wooded hill. The original bearers of the surname lived in an area that was defined by the long wooded hill in the county of Surrey. 1

Alternatively the family could have originated at "Longhurst, (Longhirst), a township in the parish of Bothal, near Morpeth, Northumberland." 2 3 4

Early Origins of the Longhirst family

The surname Longhirst was first found in Surrey where Richard de Lanherst was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1221. Later, Robert de Longehurst was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1332. 5

The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III. included a listing for Walter de Latighurst, Sussex, 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of the reign of King Edward I.)

The Hundredorum Rolls of 12763 had only one listing, that of John de Langehirst. Hertfordshire. 2

Early History of the Longhirst family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Longhirst research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1221, 1332, 1690 and 1791 are included under the topic Early Longhirst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Longhirst Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Longhirst has appeared include Longhurst, Langhurst, Lainghurst, Longhirst, Longhearst, Longherst, Langhirst, Lainghirst, Langhearst, Langherst, Langhorst, Landhurst, Landhearst, Landhirst and many more.

Early Notables of the Longhirst family

More information is included under the topic Early Longhirst Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Longhirst family

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 Longhirst arrived in North America very early: Henry Longhurst joined many who had landed in New York in the mid-1600's.

Sources +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)