The Strongbownians added their own naming traditions to the eastern region of Ireland
to which they arrived. The impact of this new tradition was not extremely disruptive to the pre-existing Irish tradition because the two had many similarities. Both cultures made significant use of hereditary surnames
. And like the Irish, the Strongbownians often used prefixes to build patronymic
surnames, which are names based on the given name of the initial bearer's father or another older relative. Strongbow's followers often created names that were built with the prefix Fitz-, which was derived from the French word fils, and ultimately from the Latin filius
, both of which mean son. They also used diminutive suffixes such as -ot, -et, -un, -in, or -el, and occasionally even two suffixes combined to form a double diminutive such as -el-in, -el-ot, -in-ot, and -et-in, to build patronymic names. The surname Heggette is derived from the medieval given names Hack or Hake. These English names were derived from the Old Norse name Haki, which is a cognate of the English name Hook and was originally given to someone with a hunched figure or a hooked nose. Before being imported to Ireland
, the surname Heggette was chiefly popular in the western midlands of England
. The Gaelic form of the name Heggette is Haicéid.
Early Origins of the Heggette family
The surname Heggette was first found in County Kilkenny
(Irish: Cill Chainnigh), the former Kingdom of Osraige (Ossory), located in Southeastern Ireland
in the province of Leinster
, where they had been granted lands by Strongbow
for their assistance in the invasion of Ireland
in 1172. They were also granted lands in counties Carlow, Kildare
and one branch moved into Connacht
where "they formed a distinct if small sept which was known as MacHackett, their seat being Castle Hackett, six miles south-east of Tuam." CITATION[CLOSE]
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
They were originally from Harcourt in Normandy
and their name appears on the Honour Roll of the Battell Abbey as being present at the Battle of Hastings. The Hackets of Niton on the Isle of Wight were descendants of Haket on the Battle Abbey Roll. Dominus Paganus de Haket, another soldier at Hastings accompanied Henry II to Ireland
where he acquired broad lands and seigneuries there. CITATION[CLOSE]
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
This latter gentleman would become the progenitor of the family in Ireland
which often included "parliamentary Barons, and potent Magnates in the sister kingdom."
Early History of the Heggette family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heggette research.Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1195, 1676, 1601, 1625 and 1626 are included under the topic Early Heggette History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Heggette Spelling Variations
Medieval scribes and church officials spelt names simply the way they sounded, which explains the various name spelling variations
of the name Heggette that were encountered when researching that surname. The many spelling variations included: Hackett, Hackert, Hacket, Halkett and others.
Early Notables of the Heggette family (pre 1700)
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heggette Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Heggette family to the New World and Oceana
A great number of Irish families
left their homeland in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century, migrating to such far away lands as Australia
and North America. The early settlers left after much planning and deliberation. They were generally well off but they desired a tract of land that they could farm solely for themselves. The great mass of immigrants to arrive on North American shores in the 1840s differed greatly from their predecessors because many of them were utterly destitute, selling all they had to gain a passage on a ship or having their way paid by a philanthropic society. These Irish people were trying to escape the aftermath of the Great Potato Famine: poverty, starvation, disease, and, for many, ultimately death. Those that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Irish settlers bearing the name Heggette: Sir Robert Hacket settled in Barbados in 1678; Thomas Hackett settled in Virginia in 1642; William Hackett settled in Barbados in 1680; Bernard, Daniel, Francis, James, Michael.
The Heggette 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: Spes mea Deus
Motto Translation: God is my hope.