Harvey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Harvey family migrated to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The surname Harvey is based on the Breton personal name Aeruiu or Haerviu. It is composed of the elements haer, which means battle or carnage, and vy, which means worthy.The name was commonly introduced to England in its Gallic form Hervé.[1]

“This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. ‘the son of Harvey.’ This great personal name had not become so rare in the 12th and 13th centuries that it could escape surnominal honours. On the contrary, it is still found as a fairly familiar personal name up to the beginning of the 14th century. ” [2]

Hervey or Hervaeus (d. 1131), was “bishop successively of Bangor and Ely, of Breton race, was a royal clerk, high in favour with William Rufus and confessor to Henry I. ” [3]

Early Origins of the Harvey family

The surname Harvey was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where the Latin form of the name, Herveus, was first used. Herueu de berruarius was also listed in Suffolk at that time. [4]

Herueide Caster was recorded in Lincolnshire 1157-1163. Later in Suffolk, Willelmus filius Hervici was listed in the Feet of Fines of 1242 and William Hervi, Herevi was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1196. William Hervy was found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1232 and later, Richard Herfu was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. [1]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed early spellings of the name as both a personal nameand a surname: Harvey Dunnyng and Warin Hervi in Cambridgeshire; Robert filius Hervei in Lincolnshire; and Herveus le Gos, in Lincolnshire. [2]

“As a family designation it appears in England in the XII. cent. Osbert de Hervey is styled, in the register of St. Edmundsbury, the son of Hervey. From him according to the Peerage sprang the Herveys, ennobled in England and Ireland, and also (in all probability, from the resemblance of their arms) the De Hervi’s and Hervies of Aberdeenshire and other parts of Scotland.” [5]

Distribution of the surname throughout Britain is most interesting. “Well distributed over England south of a line drawn from Hull to Chester. North of that line its frequency abruptly ceases. It is best represented in Essex, Hants, and Kent, and then in Corwall, Devon, Staffordshire, Notts, Norfolk, and Suffolk. Its preference for the coast counties, especially those in the south – east of England from Kent to Norfolk, is to be remarked.” [6]

Early History of the Harvey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harvey research.

Harvey Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Harvey were recorded, including Harvey, Hervey, Hervie, Harvie and others.

Early Notables of the Harvey family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Harvey (1578-1657), an English physician, first to describe in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart; Sir William Hervey (1586-1660), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1624 and 1629; Edmund Harvey or Hervey (c.1601-1673), an English soldier and member of Parliament during the English Civil War, who sat as a commissioner at the Trial of King Charles I.

Harvey World Ranking

In the United States, the name Harvey is the 225^th most popular surname with an estimated 116,889 people with that name. [7] However, in Canada, the name Harvey is ranked the 121^stmost popular surname with an estimated 25,255 people with that name. [8] And in Quebec, Canada, the name Harvey is the 128^th popular surname. [9] Newfoundland, Canada ranks Harvey as 184^th with 221 people. [10] Australia ranks Harvey as 93^rd with 26,522 people. [11]New Zealand ranks Harvey as 97^th with 4,068 people. [12] The United Kingdom ranks Harvey as 96^th with 49,561 people. [13]

 Migration of the Harvey family to Ireland

Some of the Harvey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Harvey migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Harvey arrived in North America very early: 

Harvey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• William Harvey, who settled in New England in 1630
• Mr. Nicholas Harvey, (d. 1647), who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship “Ark and Dove [14]
• Richard Harvey, who landed in Maryland in 1634 [14]
• Thomas Harvey, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 [14]
• John Harvey, who settled in Virginia in 1640

Harvey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Sarah Harvey, who landed in Virginia in 1702 [14]
• Lidia Harvey, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 [14]
• Job Harvey, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1707 [14]
• Priscilla Harvey, who arrived in Virginia in 1711 [14]
• Hannah Harvey, who landed in Virginia in 1714 [14]

Harvey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• James Harvey, who arrived in America in 1801 [14]
• Mary Harvey, aged 45, who landed in America in 1803 [14]
• Edward Harvey, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 [14]
• Rich Harvey, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 [14]
• Robert Harvey, aged 22, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1812 [14]

Harvey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Mr. James Harvey, (b. 1877), aged 23, Cornish blacksmith travelling aboard the ship “St Paul” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th March 1900 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA [15]
• Mr. John Harvey, (b. 1869), aged 31, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship “Germanic” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 14th September 1900 en route to Red Jacket, Michigan, USA [15]
• Mr. John Harvey, (b. 1856), aged 44, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship “St Paul” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th March 1900 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA [15]
• Mr. Thomas Harvey, (b. 1876), aged 24, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship “New York” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 11th February 1900 en route to Cripple Creek, Colorado, USA [15]
• Mr. Philip Harvey, (b. 1860), aged 40, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship “St Paul” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th March 1900 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA [15]