Hites History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Hites family

The surname Hites was first found in Derbyshire, where the name appeared in the late 13th century. The Hites name, like many surnames, is probably topographical in origin, referring to someone who lived at the height, or summit of a hill. Another possibility is that the name referred to a characteristic of its first bearer, in this case probably the fact that he was tall.

Early History of the Hites family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hites research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1275 and 1279 are included under the topic Early Hites History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hites Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Height, Hite, Hight, Hyte and others.

Early Notables of the Hites family

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

Migration of the Hites family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Hites or a variant listed above: Jacob Height, who came to Maryland in 1665; as well as Anthony Height, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765. One of the first people to arrive bearing the Hite spelling of the name was Peter Hite, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733..

Contemporary Notables of the name Hites (post 1700) +

Kenneth R. Hites, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 15th District, 1974 1

Sources +

The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html