Surname Hedgeland - Meaning and Origin
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Hedgeland: What does the surname Hedgeland mean?
The last name Hedgeland is of English origin. It is an anglicized form of the Old Norse 'hæð', which translates to “land abounding with hedges”. This means that Hedgeland may be a locational name, referring to a place that had many hedges.
During the Middle Ages, hedges were an important part of land management. Hedges not only protected livestock from predators, but they also helped to protect the soil from erosion, particularly in hilly regions. They served as a type of fence, and were often used to separate farms or properties.
Hedgeland, then, could have been a reference to a place where hedges were abundant, most likely in an agricultural area. It is also possible that the name may have evolved over time and been derived from the Old English word for “hedge”.
Today, Hedgeland is still a relatively uncommon name. In Great Britain, there are only a few dozen families who share the surname. It is difficult to trace the exact origins of the name, but those who bear it can be proud to know that they are connected to a centuries-old tradition of land management.
Order DNA origin analysisHedgeland: Where does the name Hedgeland come from?
The last name Hedgeland is most commonly found in the United States today. It is a fairly rare last name and fewer than 500 people in the US have it. The earliest known records of the name were found in Massachusetts with the name being used by members of the English gentry in the 1600s. Since then it has slowly spread across the US throughout the centuries and is now mostly concentrated in the northeast states such Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont, as well as California, Oregon, and Washington.
Many of the present day Hedgelands are descended from Captain Samuel Hedgland, a soldier in the Revolutionary War who settled in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Over the years his descendants moved throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York and eventually to other parts of the US. The name has also been found in New Zealand and Australia, though it is much rarer in those countries.
The last name Hedgeland is an unusual one and is not as widely used as some of the more common Anglo-American last names. However, for those families that have the name, it is a source of pride and can be traced back for generations.
Variations of the surname Hedgeland
The surname Hedgeland is an English surname of occupational origin, derived from the Old English words "hedge" and "land" which were combined to mean "a dweller in the hedge". The surname is most commonly spelled as the two separate words "Hedge Land" or "Hedge-land".
The surname is found in many forms from many different points in time, leading to different spelling and surname variants. For instance, in some records, the surname may be spelled as Hedgely, Hedgley, Hedgleye, Hedgwy, Hedgeway, Heregley, and Hudgley.
The origin of the surname Hedgeland is thought to have been North West England, and was quite a common surname there. In addition, many Hedgeland families have made their way to the United States, where the name is primarily found in Pennsylvania and Iowa.
In addition to the surname variants already mentioned, there are also more modern combinations of the same origin that contain the shared meanings of the now split words. These include Hedgeclough, Hedgespeth, Hedgefield, and Hedgely Park.
The shared meanings for the first part of the surname is usually indicative of someone who lives and works near a hedge, either making them a farmer or a gardener. The word 'land' is usually indicative of landowner, so during the medieval period, those with this surname would likely have owned and/or farmed land that bordered on a hedge.
Famous people with the name Hedgeland
- Elijah Hedgeland (American actor, producer, writers, and director)
- David Hedgeland (British actor and screenwriter)
- Anna Hedgeland (British actress and singer)
- Raymond Hedgeland (American actor)
- Raymond M. Hedgeland (American politician)
- W.M. Hedgeland (American writer and editor)
- Neil Hedgeland (British actor, screenwriter, and producer)
- Laura Hedgeland (American fashion designer)
- Paul Hedgeland (American entrepreneur and filmmaker)
- Bruce Hedgeland (American composer and songwriter)