Surname Heydon - Meaning and Origin

Heydon: What does the surname Heydon mean?

The last name Heydon, originally spelled Heyde or Heydu, is believed to have originated from the Anglo-Saxon or German, and ultimately would have been of Old English origin. It is thought to have been a topographic name, which is a name for a person who lived near a certain geographical feature. Specifically, this name finds its origin in the Old English words, “hege” meaning “enclosure” and “dun” meaning “hill”. Thus, the name Heydon likely referred to a person who lived near a hill enclosed by a hedge.

The earliest records of the Heydons can be found in the Latin Domesday Book, which states that one ‘hede’ was living in Lincolnshire, England in 1086. Over the years, many branches of the Heydon family have spread out from their original home in England over to countries such as Germany, Canada, and America.

The Heydons are thought to have held multiple roles as merchants, craftsmen, and traders, but some have also held high positions such as mayor, sheriff, and colonel. Many of them have also held aristocratic titles such as knights, baronets, and earls. This has resulted in the Heydon name often being associated with wealth and influence.

The legacy of the Heydons lives on today. In modern times, the name can be used as an identifier for those who are descended from this noble family. It can also be a badge of honour for those whose surname is Heydon, signifying their rich ancestral heritage.

Heydon: Where does the name Heydon come from?

The last name Heydon is mostly commonly found in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its geographical distribution is concentrated in England and Wales, but may be present in other areas of the British Isles. In England, the majority of people with the name Heydon expressed as a surname are located in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire. Additionally, records of people bearing the name Heydon have been discovered in Australia, Canada, and the United States, suggesting migrations of descendants of the line during colonization of the various nations.

In the early eighteenth century, the Heydon name was noted in Norfolk, primarily as a place name, though occasional families with the surname were found in Norfolk as early as the twelfth or thirteenth century. Descendants of this line may be found among the place names of Suffolk listed in the national archives. In addition, the Heydon family of Suffolk can trace its roots back to the twelfth century, and throughout the years many members of the family travelled to Ireland and other areas in the British Isles.

Today, the Heydon surname is still prominent in Ireland and the United Kingdom. It can also be found in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Additionally, the last name Heydon may be the result of intermarriage between different surnames, adapted from the marriage partner's family name. In all likelihood, the Heydon last name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is derived from the word "hӯge-don" which means "high hill."

Variations of the surname Heydon

The surname Heydon has multiple variants, spelling variations, and surnames of the same origin.

The exact origins of the Heydon name is difficult to trace but it is thought to have been derived from the Middle English personal name of Heydon or Heydon, which derived from the Old English personal name Hegde.

The name Heydon is usually an anglicized form of the Irish surnames O Heideadain and O Heoydan. Other variations of the Heydon name include Heitdon, Heydon, Heydon, Hideon, Hiedon, Hideen, and Heyden.

In England, the Heydon name is primarily found in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge and Lincolnshire.

In Scotland, the Heydon name is mostly found in the counties of Midlothian and Ross and Cromarty.

In Germany, the variants Haide, Haiden, Haidenbauer, Heyde, Heitmann, and Hettman are more common.

In Ireland, the Heydon name can be translated into names such as O'Heydecken, O'Heidedain, MacHyde, MacHeyde, and MacHiedon.

The English variants of Heydon are also found in France, Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

The variants and surnames of Heydon demonstrate the geographical and linguistic evolution of the name.

Famous people with the name Heydon

• Stephen Heydon: British Conservative Party politician, a Member of the European Parliament, and a government minister in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
• Jason Heydon: Australian Paralympic athlete with a successful career as a wheelchair racer.
• Vilma Heydon: Australian diver who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
• Ward Heydon: Australian judge and legal scholar, appointed chief justice of the High Court of Australia 2005.
• Martin Heydon: Irish politician and current Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine from 2013 to 2016.
• Brian Heydon: Irish Roman Catholic bishop in the Republic of Ireland, appointed in 1895.
• Elizabeth Heydon: Academic and early modern historian at the University of York, UK.
• Mark Heydon: British former police surgeon and botanist known for his research on ferns.
• Chloe Heydon: American soccer player who plays for the U.S. national team and the Seattle Reign FC in the National Women’s Soccer League
• Joanna Heydon: British adventurer and producer at the BBC who has appeared on many documentaries.

Other surnames

Heydorn