Heskett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Heskett

What does the name Heskett mean?

The ancestors of the name Heskett date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in the settlement of Hesket in Cumberland or in either of the places called Hesketh in Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Heskett 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 Heskett family

The surname Heskett was first found in Lancashire where "in the year 1275, the 4th of Edward I., Sir William Heskayte, Knight, married the co-heiress of Fytton, and thus became possessed of Rufford, which has since remained the inheritance of this ancient family." 1

Hesketh of Gwyrch Castle, Denbighshire claim descent from the Heskeths of Rossel, Lancashire who in turn claim descent from the original branch in Rufford. 1

Rufford Old Hall, in Rufford, Lancashire built about 1530 for Sir Robert Hesketh is today a National Trust property.

It is believed that the property's Great Hall was in 1580, host of works by Shakespeare as one teacher noted "wilim Shakeshaft nowe dwellynge with me." Rufford New Hall is a former country house built by Sir Robert Hesketh in 1760.

The township of Shevington in Lancashire was home to the family since early times. "Before the general introduction of dates in the conveyance of landed property, a family existed denominating themselves from this township. The family of Hesketh have possessed property here for several ages, and have been considered as lords of the manor. In the township are a number of ancient mansions: the old Hall or manor-house, the property of the Heskeths, is of the date 1653." 2

The parish of Rufford, also in Lancashire was later the family seat of Sir Thomas George Hesketh. There he had New Hall built. "On the north side of the family pew of the Heskeths, is a venerable marble slab, on which are represented a knight and his lady, the former being Thomas Hesketh, who died Oct. 1363." 2

Early History of the Heskett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heskett research. Another 275 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1330, 1539, 1561, 1562, 1563, 1588, 1592, 1593, 1597, 1598, 1606, 1613, 1637, 1643, 1644, 1653, 1656, 1710, 1715 and 1846 are included under the topic Early Heskett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heskett Spelling Variations

Heskett has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Heskett have been found, including Hesketh, Hascoit, Haskett, Hesket, Heskett, Heskit, Heskitt and many more.

Early Notables of the Heskett family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Robert Hesketh, of Rufford (died 1539), knighted by Henry VIII for his valour in France; and his son, Sir Thomas Hesketh (died 1588), High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1563; and his son, Robert Hesketh (died 1653), Member of Parliament for Rufford (1597-1598). Richard Hesketh (1562-1593), was a Roman Catholic exile, third son of Sir Thomas Hesketh of Rufford and Martholme, by Alice, daughter of Sir John Holcroft of Holcroft, was baptised at...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heskett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heskett Ranking

In the United States, the name Heskett is the 14,040^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Heskett migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Hesketts to arrive on North American shores:

Heskett Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

John Heskett, aged 15, originally from Bootle, England, arrived in New York City, New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Adriatic" from Liverpool, England 4
Walter Heskett, aged 27, arrived in New York City, New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Aquitania" from Liverpool, England 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Heskett (post 1700) +

James L. Heskett, American academic, UPS Foundation Professor of Business Logistics, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School
Clifford S. Heskett, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Ohio 7th District, 1992 5
Ralph Heskett C.Ss.R. (b. 1953), English Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar (2010-2014), Bishop of Hallam (2014-)
Geoffrey Heskett (1929-2023), Australian basketball player who competed in the men's tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics
John Heskett (1937-2014), British writer and lecturer on the economic, political, cultural and human value of industrial design

The Heskett Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Quod tibi, hoc alteri
Motto Translation: Do unto others what you would want done to yourself.

Sources +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html