The Haviland Family
The research for this branch of the Haviland family is being more carefully documented. As the inheritor of many documents and photographs which have not been notated, sorting out what has value and who is in the photos is taking time. But, each time a new pile of documents is sorted or another group of photos is examined, new information comes to light. As the Irish branch of the Haviland family does not seem to have been documented by very many genealogists, much of the research has to be done from scratch -- from limited family oral history and a bit of Irish luck. If you have Irish Haviland connections, please send an e-mail!
Surname History
The surname, Haviland, is derived from the fortress of Haverland, a castle located near the mouth of the reiver Saire in Lower Normandy, which the family held prior to 1050. (It is also believed to be associated with the French and German's meaning, "one who came from, or lived near a wheat field.") When William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066, the Lord of Haverland was one of the conquering army. However, he returned to Normandy without acquiring any English land.
About 1176, the family acquired property on the Island of Guernsey, off the coast of France, which was given the family name then spelled, de Havilland. This property is still held by the family. The "de" was later dropped by the English branch, which was established about 1450 by Christopher Havilland at Poole in Dorsetshire, England.
In the following centuries, the family become prominent in the west of England, and one of the "l's" was dropped. James Haviland was Mayor of Salisbury about 1600. His son, William Haviland, was born there in 1606 and baptized at St. Thomas church. He was the first to emigrate to America where he lived at Newport, Rhode Island in 1636. He married Hannah Hicks in 1638. In 1667, he sold his land in Rhode Island and moved to Flushing, Long Island, New York.
Another branch of the Haviland family moved from England to County Derry, Ireland, and in later years, to the United States.
Name variations: Havilland, Haverland, Havelin,
de Havilland, de Haviland, de Haverland
Blazon Description
Argent, three towers triple-towered sable, portcullised gules
Haviland Motto
none recorded
Haviland Ancestors
The Irish branch of the Haviland family has not been as extensively researched as the English branch. Our family is descended from Patrick Haviland of Derry, Ireland, who emigrated to the United States about 1835. He settled in Lowell, MA, and married Catherine Fitzpatrick of Kilkenny, Ireland. Ten children were born of the union. Catherine died in 1867, and Patrick in 1868.
