Hearne Ancestry

Early origins of the Hearne family: "Sir Bernard Burke says: 'This family traces its settlement in England to the era of the Norman Conquest, and the name, as then written, Heroun, is found is found among the persons of distinction who followed in the train of William the Conqueror, A. D. 1066.' A work published in London, England, in 1874, upon the 'Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States of America,' contains the following information: 'Hearne for Heron, from Hairun, near Rouen, Normandy. 'Tihel de Heiron was in Essex in 1086. He accompanied William the Conqueror. William Heron held a barony at the time of Philip Augustus. Odonel Heron, time of William Rufus, 1087, witnessed a charter in Durham, England. Alban de Hairun held a barony in Hertfordshire, England, A. D. 1165. Richard de Hairun held in Essex also in 1165. Dru de Hairun was in Yorkshire, and Jordan de Hairun was in Northumberland. In the latter county the Herons were of great note, and William Heron was summoned as a baron in 1369.' In the above work the following different spellings of this surname occur: Hairun, Heiron, Heron, Hearn, Hearne, Hearon and Herron" (Hearne, p. 8).

According to Sir Bernard Burke' "Extinct Baronages and Peerages of England," Jordan Hairun possessed a barony in Northumberland as his ancestors had done at the time of Henry I, A. D. 1100. His grandson, William Heron, in the 32nd year of Henry III, A. D. 1248, was made Governor of Bamborough Castle, County Northumberland, and later Governor of Castle Pickering, in Yorkshire, and still later Governor of Scarborough Castle. He married Mary, daughter of Odonel de Ford, died in 1256, and was succeeded by his son -- " William Heron - feudal baron who took part in Battle of Lewes; summoned by Edward I in 1272, with other barons to judge between competitors for Scotland's crown. Married Christina, daughter of Roger de Notton. Their son Walter married Alice de Hastings and their daughter Emeline married John, Lord D'Arcy, steward of the household of Edward III.; and Baron Roger Heron, one of Edward's knights from the siege at Stirling Castle and who became Governor of Bamborough Castle in 1317 under Edward II. (Hearne, pp. 11 through 12).

Willie Hearne in the Alabama, U.S., Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981 shows an article "Hearne Ancestry Traced to 1066" by David T. Hearne, which speaks of Willie Hearne b. 1627 his ancestry: "Hearne ancestry can be traced back to the time of William the Conqueror and the battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Several Herron's as the name was spelled then came across from Normandy with the Conqueror during his historic invasion of the British Isles. The Chateau Du Heron is a huge impressive castle built in Normandy during the 10th century. From 1066 down to 1627, birth date of Willie Hearne, a London..."

Hearne Coat of Arms

• Black shield and is the field for the armorial bearings. Some are gold, red or silver
• Three silver herons

(Source for the above and the first image below: Hearne, p. 24).
Also see The Hearn/Hearne Coat of Arms.