Hirly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Hirly

What does the name Hirly mean?

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Hirly family lived in Normandy, France. The Normans frequently used the name of their estate in Normandy as part of their name.The family name Hirly was brought to England after the Norman Conquest, when William the Conqueror gave his friends and relatives most of the land formerly owned by Anglo-Saxon aristocrats.

Early Origins of the Hirly family

The surname Hirly was first found in Normandy, where Herluin was Vicomte of Conteville. This family is linked through marriage to William the Conqueror who established the Plantagenet rule of England.

Early History of the Hirly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hirly research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1086 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Hirly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hirly Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Herlwin, Herluin, Hurlin, Herlewin, Herling, Hurling, Hirwin, Erlewyn, Erlwin, Harlewyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Hirly family

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

Hirly migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Hirly or a variant listed above:

Hirly Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mary Hirly, aged 23, who arrived in New York in 1849 1

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)