Hithe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Hithe family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found on a heath, which is an area of level, uncultivated land with poor, coarse, undrained soil and rich deposits of peat or peaty humus. The surname Hithe belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Early Origins of the Hithe family

The surname Hithe was first found in Durham where it was first listed as Atte-Hethe, Apud Hethe and Del la Hethe in the Rotuli Hundredorum of 1279. [1] The name was denoted for someone who lived on or by a heath, typically filled with heather. [2] Kirby’s Quest for Somerset listed Adam atte Hethe and John atte Hethe during the reign of Edward III. [3]

Later in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, Robert del Heth was listed. Thomas Atte-Hethe was rector of Ringstead Parva, Norfolk in 1376 and Ralph atte Heythe was rector of Rockland Tofts, Norfolk in 1398. [4]

Robert Heete or Robert of Woodstock (d. 1428), was an early “canonist and civilian, presumably a native of Woodstock, Oxfordshire, became scholar of Winchester College in 1401, and in due course scholar of New College, Oxford, where he graduated M.A. and LL.B. ” [5]

Early History of the Hithe family

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

Hithe Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hithe include Heath, Hethe and others.

Early Notables of the Hithe family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Robert Heath (1575-1649), Attorney General of England, and founder of North Carolina and South Carolina. He was the son of Robert Heath of Brasted, Kent, a member of the Inner Temple and was born at Brasted on 20 May 1575. [5]James Heath (1629-1664), was a historian, son of Robert Heath, the king’s cutler, who lived in the Strand, was born in London in 1629, and educated in Westminster School. [5] Thomas Heath (fl. 1583), was an English mathematician, born in London and was admitted probationer fellow of All Souls, Oxford, in 1567.

 Migration of the Hithe family to Ireland

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

Migration of the Hithe family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hithe or a variant listed above: William Heath settled in New England in 1620; later moving to Boston in 1632; Amory, Henry, Isaac, Jane, John, Margaret, Mary, Nicholas, Thomas and William Heath, all settled in Virginia between 1640 and 1680.

The Hithe 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: Espere mieux
Motto Translation: Hope for better.