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For about one thousand years, the name of the Hearn family has been associated with the heron. The English word "heron"--according to the 1986 version of Webster's New World Dictionary--comes from the Middle English "heroun", which came from the Old French "hairon".
Norman Origin of the Hearne Family Name, Sir Bernard Burke says, "This family traces its settlement in England to the era of the Norman Conquest, and the name, as then written, Heron, is found amongst the persons of distinction who followed in the train of Wilham the Conqueror, A.D. 1066." A work published in the London, England in 1874, upon the "Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the Brittish Dominions and the United States of America contains the following information: "Hearn, for Heron, from Hairun near Rouen, Normandy. Tihel de Heiron was in Essex in 1086, and accompanied William the Conqueror. William Heron held a barony in Normandy, time of Philip Augustus. Odonel Heron, time of William Rufus 1807, witnessed a charter in Durham, England. Alban de Hairun, held a barony in Hertfordshire, England 1165. Dru de Hairun was in Yorkshire, and Jordan de Hairun in Northumberland. In the latter county the Herons were of great note, and William Heron was summoned as a barron in 1369."
In the above work the following different spellings of this name occur: Hairun, Heiron, Heron, Hearn, Hearne, Hearon and Herron. It is a well known rule in heraldry that varying othography in the spelling of a surname, "when there is armorial identification, does not affect consanguinity" THE SURNAME HEARNE, AS IT APPEARS ON THREE DIFFERENT COPIES OF THE ROLL OF BATTLE ABBEY "The Roll of Battle Abbey, in the Church of Dives, Normandy of the Companions of William, the Seventh Duke of Normandy, in the Conquest of England" by M. Leopold Deliste, Member of the institute, contains in the celebrated list the name of Tihel de Heiron. Another copy of the Roll of Battle Abbey, called "Leland's Copy" contains the name Heroun. John Leland, the author, saw the original roll in the old abbey and transcribed the name therefrom himself. Holinshed's copy of the same roll contains the names of Heiron and Herne. Thus we have this surname occurring on three different copies of this roll.
William T. Hearne in his book "Brief History and Genealogy of the Hearne Family" (Published 1895 and 1907) shows a picture of the Chateau du Heron, Normandy, built in the 10th century (above).
When William Hearne the merchant (d. 1691 ) left his Caribbean-based shipping business in the late 1600s and settled in what would later become the state of Maryland, he spelled his name with a final "e". in about 1707, his descendant "Samuel" dropped it, becoming "Samuel Hearn".
As long as the coat of arms is the same, spelling variations can be ignored in reckoning family relationship. For a brief review of the "armorial identification" tying present day American Hearn(e)s to others, see Coat of Arms.
Hearn/Herne References:
William T. Hearne, Brief History and Genealogy of the Hearne Family. (Examiner Printing Company, Independence, Missouri, 1895 and 1907). Reprinted by Higginson Book Company, Derby Square, Salem, Mass. 01970, 753 pages. This book is often referred to simply as "Hearne History". (See links for on-line version.)
William T. Hearne, Addendum, 1912 (Examiner Printing Company, Independence, Missouri, 1912). 52 pages, beginning with p. 755, a direct continuation from last pages (753 and blank 754) of the 1907 edition. Out of print; available in some genealogical reference libraries.
Eakins, Ruth Hearn, Hearn-Hearne History, 1993. 187 pages, available from the author: Mrs. Ruth Hearn Eakins, 19585 U.S. Hwy 421, Watha, NC 28471.
Batchelder, Pauline Manning, compiler and editor, A Somerset Sampler: Families of Old Somerset County, Maryland, 1700-1776, 1994. Lower Delmarva Genealogical Society, Salisbury, Maryland 312 pages (Hearn/Hearne material on pp 127 - 160). Available from Lower Delmarva Genealogical Society, PO Box 3602, Salisbury, MD 21802-3602.
*Caution: Genealogical references may contain errors. William T. Hearne's books were to some extent based on handwritten materials mailed to him, some with very little substantiation. There are definitely some typographical errors. More importantly, some significant factual errors have been identified since their publication. One notable mistake concerns Rhoda Parker (1763 - 1823), wife of Jonathan Hearn (1760 - 1827). "Hearne History" identifies her as Jonathan's mother, the wife of his father Samuel Hearn (ca 1730 - 1803). Page 19 of Mrs. Eakin's book, based on Wm T. Hearne's book, perpetuates the error. Her genealogical charts, however, show the correct relationships. Somerset Sampler is based on careful study of original sources, and attempts to correct other mistakes relating to the first few generations of the William Hearne (d. 1691) family. Although this William named his wife Mary in his will, some researchers question whether she was Mary Cuthbert as described by Wm. T. Hearne.
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