Recent comparison of the DNA of a David Heron whose ancestors came fromCumberland England; a Richard Heron whose ancestors came from DonegalIreland; a James Hyslop Heron whose ancestors came from
The Origin of the Herons of Northumberland, England
In about 1046 a Tihel 'le Breton' was presumably born in France. In 1066,a
Tihel 'le Breton' accompanied William the Conqueror to England fromNormandy, France. (There is no specific reference to a Tihel de Herouenin the original 'Roll of Battle Abbey' (1077)! There have been a number'copies' of 'The Roll of Battle Abbey' reproduced by various scholars(Auchinleck, Hollinshed, John Lelland, Duchense, and Catherine Powlett(Duchess of Cleveland)). But these lists (with possibly the exception ofthe Auchinleck manuscript) are inaccurate and include names ofindividuals that were included in 'The Domesday Book'(1086). The DomesdayBook was an inventory of William's new kingdom and did include a list ofindividuals to which William gave land to presumably as a reward forassisting him in the conquest of England. A family that is mentioned bothin the The Roll of Battle Abbey and The Domesday Book was BRETON and itis this ancestor that the HERONs claim their descendency. (For therecord, Hollinshed includes BRETON, HERIOUN and HERNE in his Chronicles;Duchesne includes only BRETON and HERNE in his book and Auchinleckincludes only the surname BRETOUN in his manuscript. The 'AuchinleckManuscript' was produced in London, England in the 1330's, and wasprobably copied directly from the original Battle Abbey Roll before itwas stolen and subsequently lost or destroyed in a fire. Therefore it islikely the most accurate although it only lists family surnames as didthe original Battle Abbey Roll.
(Burke's Peerage traces the HERON ancestry in England to a Tihel deHEROUEN, from Caen, Normandy who accompanied William the Conqueror on hisconquest of England but I have found no evidence of that yet)
About 1066, a William son of Tihel the Breton is believed to have beenborn as it is stated that Tihel le Breton was "succeeded by William hisson and after him by his grandson, the latter marrying Mabel, daughter ofRoger de Helim who had dower in Haverhill in 1185, Robert de Helim herson being the heir"
In 1080 a Tihel le Breton was one of the 'barons' or commissionersappointed by the Conqueror to determine the rights of Ely Abbey.
In 1086 a Tihel de Heiron is stated to have been a tenant-in-chief duringthe Doomsday survey (1086). In the Doomsday Book, he is stated to haveheld land as follows:
Essex, Bumpstead (Steeple and Helion Bumpstead); Tihel le Breton holdsit.
Essex, Radwinter; Tre Leofsige held half a hide and a half vingate ofland but now Gutho holds it from Tihel le Breton who claims it by theKing's gift.
Essex, Raines, two freemen held it but Tihel le Breton held 'a hide ofland'
Essex, Sturmer; Tihel de Hellean or Tihel the Breton had 3 beehives, amill and a foal. It is believed that Tihel le Breton and Tihel de Helleanare the same person and that Tihel Btittonis (Tihel Breton) is derivedfrom Hellean, a canton of Jossselin near Ploermel (Morbihan) in Brittany.
Essex, Stevington (Ashdon); Tihel le Breton holds it.
Essex, Tilbury (Juxta Clare); Tihel le Breton held land.
Essex, Yardley (Thaxtal), Serlo now holds it from Tihel le Breton whoclaims the land by the King's gift.
Norfolk, Booton; Tihel le Breton holds Booton manor
Norfolk, Calatrop; Guerrir and Osbert hold it from Tihel le Breton; 2.5mills, a church and 2 beehives
Norfolk, Guton; Obert holds it from Tihel le Breton; a mill and 14beehives.
Norfolk, Guton Hall; Tihel le Breton holds Hall cottages.
Norfolk, Wickmere; Tihel de Hellean holds it from Bishop of Bayeux.
Suffolk, Haverhill manor; not confirmed.
Suffolk, Illegh manor; not confirmed
In 1087 an Odonel Heron witnessed a charter in Raine, North Durham,England. He was probably a son of Tihel Heiron (i.e. le Breton)
In 1100 some Herons possessed a barony in Northumberland
In 1165:
Alban de Hairun held a barony in Hertfordshire, England.
Richard de Hairun held land in Essex. Believed to be a grandson of Tihelthe Breton
Dru de Hairun was in Yorkshire
Jordan de Hairun held land in York & Northumberland. Stated to havedescended from Herons of Northumberland. Believed to be the grandson ofTihel the Breton.
In 1180 a William Heron held a barony in Normandy in the time of PhilipAugustus (1165-1223).
Origin of the Herons of Kirrouchtrie, Scotland
One possibility is that a male HERON (purportedly a knight Gerald fromEngland) married Margaret, the daughter and heiress of the last of theMcLURGs (or McKIEs, depending upon whether a MACLURE or a McKIE istelling the story), thereby gaining ownership of Kirrouchtrie.
But it is also reported by BLG1886 that in 1465 a John Heron was"supposed to be descended from the Herons of Chipchase" who owned ownedKerrouchtree.
Macfarlane's MS says that it was Captain HERON, the second brother of SirCuthbert HERON of Chipchase, Northumberland who married Margaret McLURG.But McKerlie states that Macfarlane is incorrect and that 'the first ofthe name HERON in Galloway had been there two hundred years beforeCuthbert's time'.
In any event, McKerlie states that the male HERON who married MargaretMcClurg or McKie had a son, John, who succeeded in 1465. It is believedthat this John Heron's father's name was John and that this John Heronwas indeed descended from the Herons of Chipchase.
About 1700, Henry Heron, the last heir of Cressey Hall, England namedPatrick Heron of Kirrouchtrie (1672-1761) his successor based upon thefact that an ancestor of Patrick was supposed to have migrated toScotland from Northumberland in the 13th century.
Origin of the Herons of Wigton Plantation, Jamaica
It is believed that an Alexander Heron who went to Jamaica was adescendent of the above Patrick Heron. An Ian D'Arcy Heron is adescendant the above Alexander Heron and his DNA has a strong correlationwith a David Heron of Cumbria, England. Therefore it is believed that IanD'Arcy Heron and David Heron have a common ancestry - the Herons ofChipchase and most likely, Tihel le Breton of Normandy.
Origin of the Herons of Armagh & Donegal, Ireland
About 1600, the English government decided to create 'plantations' insome parts of Ireland and transplant English and Scottish settlers there.Between 1609 and 1610, there was a surge of Scottish settlers into theplantations
On April 18, 1603 a John HERON, gent., an English 'undertaker' was given2000 acres called Aghivillan (near Portadown) in Armagh county. Where hewas from in England is not recorded. (But It is my belief that he wasbaptised 11 April 1585 and was the son of Anne Vincent and Sir ThomasHeron of Langtoft, Stamford and Cressey Hall (died 4 July 1609). JohnHERON died in 1616 and was succeeded by his brother, Sir Edward HERON (Itis my belief that he was the Sir Edward Heron of Cressey Hall who wasalso the son of Anne Vincent and Sir Thomas Heron of Langtoft, Stamfordand Cressey Hall (died 4 July 1609). But John HERON, the originalpatentee was said to still be in possession of the land in 1619.
In 1603 Donegal county was divided into 6 baronies; Banagh, Boylagh,Inishowen E, Inishowen W, Kilmacrennan, Raphoe and Tirhugh.
In Donegal county a lot of the land (the baronies of Boylagh, Bannagh andperhaps Kilmacrenan) was given to Scot's 'undertakers' from theWigtownshire area:
Sir Patrick McKEE of Larg was given 1000 acres of Boylagh and Banagh(Cargie)
(This Patrick McKee of Larg was the father of the Margaret McKie whomarried Patrick Heron (b 1577), Minnigaff, Wigtownshire. This PatrickHeron had four grandsons, three of which went to Ireland. It is verylikely that they settled in Donegal. One of the Scottish descendents ofthis Patrick Heron is also believed to be the origins of the Herons ofJamaica.)
A Richard Heron's (whose ancestors came from Donegal Ireland) DNA isclosely related to the David Heron of Cumbria's DNA as well as Ian D'ArcyHeron 'of Jamaica's' DNA. Therefore it is my belief that they all aredescended from the same ancestors, i.e. the Herons of Chipchase and mostlikely Tihel le Breton of Normandy.
Origins of the Herons of Killinchy, Ireland
In addition to emigrating to Armagh & Donegal, Ireland, some Herons ofKirrouchtrie emigrated to County Down (Killinchy). James Heron'sancestors emigrated from Killinchy, Ireland to Wigtonshire, Scotlandabout 1835. His DNA is in strong agreement with the DNA of David Heron ofCumbria, England, Ian D'Arcy Heron 'of Jamaica' and Richard Heron 'ofDonegal'. Therefore, he is convinced that he shares the same ancestrywith all of the above, and their most likely common ancestor is Tihel leBreton of Normandy France.
James Hyslop Heron
December 25, 2010