Hards History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Hards

What does the name Hards mean?

The Hards name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Upper Hardres or Lower Hardres, near Canterbury referred to as Hardres. Both parishes dates back to Saxon times where they were collectively known as Haredum in 785. 1 By the Domesday Book of 1086, the parishes were known as Hardes. 2 The place names literally mean "place at the woods," from the Old English "harad." 1

Early Origins of the Hards family

The surname Hards was first found in Kent, where family members were Lords of the manor Lyminge. The earliest recorded ancestor is Robert de Hardres, who lived during the reigns of Edward the Confessor and William the Conqueror. He held his lands from the Archbishop of Canterbury, which consisted of a church, a mill, and a fishery of forty eels, as recorded in the Domesday Book. 2

"There are two parishes in that county so called, and Hardres Court was the family seat down to the extinction of the baronetcy in 1764. The family derived from Ardres in Picardy and conferred their name upon the Kentish localities-a circumstance of rare but not of unique occurrence. "3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family, both in Kent: Gunnora de Hardres; and Robert de Hardres. 4

Early History of the Hards family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hards research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1610, 1635, 1642, 1660, 1664, 1669, 1673, 1676, 1679, 1681, 1686, 1688, 1718, 1736 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Hards History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hards Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Hards has undergone many spelling variations, including Hardress, Hardres, Hardresse, Hardrese, Harders and many more.

Early Notables of the Hards family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Richard Hadres of Kent, Baronet, who was buried in London in 1676; and Sir Thomas Hardres (1610-1681), an English barrister and politician, Member of Parliament for Canterbury, Kent (1664), King's Serjeant (1679). He was...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hards Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hards migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hards Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Charles Hards, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asiatic" in 1849 5
Henry Hards (aged 22), a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Gomelza"
John Hards (aged 21), a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Gomelza"

Contemporary Notables of the name Hards (post 1700) +

William Hards (1907-1971), South African cricketer who played in nine first-class matches from 1926 to 1929
Air Vice-Marshal Frederick George Darby Hards CBE, DSC, DFC (1889-1963), British Royal Air Force officer, Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden from 1941 until his retirement in 1943

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The ASIATIC 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Asiatic.htm