| Origins of the HATHAWAY SURNAME Contributed by Clyde Hathaway cwhathaway@verison.net |
St. Samson, a descendant of the kings of Brittany
and Cornwall, left southern Wales in the mid
500s AD and went as a missionary to Dol, in
Brittany with several followers. Eventually, he
became the Bishop of Dol. In 1064, William the
Conqueror, laid siege to Dol and conquered it.
There were three men of substance residing in
Dol that allied themselves with William and took
part in the conquest of England in 1066. They
aligned themselves under the banner of William
Fitz Osbern, who lead the drive through southern
Wales and into Herefordshire. These three men
of substance were Baderorn (Batrun), Willliam,
the son of Baderon, and Wihenoc, the brother of
Baderon. William, the son of Baderon, was a
young squire at the time. It is significant that
these were men of importance as it is evidenced
by the large number of manors and other
holdings granted to them, especially to William,
son of Baderon. It is mystifying as to why he was
granted so many holdings on the land that King
William had reserved for himself. After the revolt
of Earl Roger, the three Bretons were placed in
charge of Monmouth Castle, in southern Wales,
near the English border. This castle became the
main baliwick of William, son of Baderon.
Of the many manor holdings of William, son of
Baderon, two were of significance: Heathway
Manor in Ruardean and Little Lydney, later
named St. Briavels. At the time they were located
in Gloucestershire but later this area became
Herefordshire. At one time, Heathway Manor
was held by a West Saxon noble, who also bore
the name "Heathway". (The spelling of Hadweg,
would have more approximated his name since
the "d" was the saxon "edh" or "eth"). This
Heathway also held a manor at Wormesley, in
an administrative Hundred, used to oversee the
exaction of tribute from the Welsh.
and Cornwall, left southern Wales in the mid
500s AD and went as a missionary to Dol, in
Brittany with several followers. Eventually, he
became the Bishop of Dol. In 1064, William the
Conqueror, laid siege to Dol and conquered it.
There were three men of substance residing in
Dol that allied themselves with William and took
part in the conquest of England in 1066. They
aligned themselves under the banner of William
Fitz Osbern, who lead the drive through southern
Wales and into Herefordshire. These three men
of substance were Baderorn (Batrun), Willliam,
the son of Baderon, and Wihenoc, the brother of
Baderon. William, the son of Baderon, was a
young squire at the time. It is significant that
these were men of importance as it is evidenced
by the large number of manors and other
holdings granted to them, especially to William,
son of Baderon. It is mystifying as to why he was
granted so many holdings on the land that King
William had reserved for himself. After the revolt
of Earl Roger, the three Bretons were placed in
charge of Monmouth Castle, in southern Wales,
near the English border. This castle became the
main baliwick of William, son of Baderon.
Of the many manor holdings of William, son of
Baderon, two were of significance: Heathway
Manor in Ruardean and Little Lydney, later
named St. Briavels. At the time they were located
in Gloucestershire but later this area became
Herefordshire. At one time, Heathway Manor
was held by a West Saxon noble, who also bore
the name "Heathway". (The spelling of Hadweg,
would have more approximated his name since
the "d" was the saxon "edh" or "eth"). This
Heathway also held a manor at Wormesley, in
an administrative Hundred, used to oversee the
exaction of tribute from the Welsh.
ARE WE RELATED TO ANNE HATHAWAY?
This question has often been asked, along with,
"Are we descended from Anne Hathaway?" The
answer to that one is easy - "Not unless you have
Shakespeares in your ancestry." Not that much
is known about Anne's ancestry, but Jack
Hathaway, Butte, MT, went on our trip to England
last year and upon his return, wrote to the
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in
Stratford-Upon-Avon for Hathaway genealogy.
The chief guide there sent back a family tree
which is somewhat hard to read in as much as it
covers several copied handwritten pages
measuring some three-feet-by-three-feet when
pasted together.
From this, we gather the following:
Robert Gardener somehow gets linked to John
Hatheway, Tennant of Hewlands Near Shottery
1543-56. John has Richard Hathaway, alias
Gardener, occupant of Hewlands. He died in 1581
or 1582. His first wife was Anne, from Temple
Gratton, buried there in 1563 or 1564. They were
married in 1554. They had:
1. Bartholomew, b. 1554, m. Isabella Hancocks of
Tredington, d. 1624
2. Anne, b. August 1556, m. William Shakespeare
1582, d. August 1623
3.Two Richards who died in infancy
4. Catherine, b. 1563
Richard then m. (2) Joan in 1565; d. Sept. 5, 1599
They had:
1. Joan, b. 1566
2. Thomas, b. 1569
3. Margaret, b. 1572
4. John, b. 1575
5. William, b. 1578
This chart does not carry any of Joan's children
forward. The Bartholomew line is carried
forward to John Hathaway. And the comments
there are:
Will dated 7 August in the 17th year of our
Sovereign Lord George 2. Proved 2 April 1746.
Leaves his freeholds for life to his mother and
after her decease to his three sisters, Sarah,
Elizabeth and Susanna. To Jane Webb. With his
decease, the male line of Hathaway of Shottery
became extinct.
From this, we would gather that any relationship
to Anne would have to exist, if it does, in earlier
generations. There have been efforts to link
Richard to the Hathaways of the Forest of Dean,
but we are not aware of any successful efforts.
From Ruth Keightley in the Spring 2000 Hathaway
Family Association Newsletter.
This question has often been asked, along with,
"Are we descended from Anne Hathaway?" The
answer to that one is easy - "Not unless you have
Shakespeares in your ancestry." Not that much
is known about Anne's ancestry, but Jack
Hathaway, Butte, MT, went on our trip to England
last year and upon his return, wrote to the
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in
Stratford-Upon-Avon for Hathaway genealogy.
The chief guide there sent back a family tree
which is somewhat hard to read in as much as it
covers several copied handwritten pages
measuring some three-feet-by-three-feet when
pasted together.
From this, we gather the following:
Robert Gardener somehow gets linked to John
Hatheway, Tennant of Hewlands Near Shottery
1543-56. John has Richard Hathaway, alias
Gardener, occupant of Hewlands. He died in 1581
or 1582. His first wife was Anne, from Temple
Gratton, buried there in 1563 or 1564. They were
married in 1554. They had:
1. Bartholomew, b. 1554, m. Isabella Hancocks of
Tredington, d. 1624
2. Anne, b. August 1556, m. William Shakespeare
1582, d. August 1623
3.Two Richards who died in infancy
4. Catherine, b. 1563
Richard then m. (2) Joan in 1565; d. Sept. 5, 1599
They had:
1. Joan, b. 1566
2. Thomas, b. 1569
3. Margaret, b. 1572
4. John, b. 1575
5. William, b. 1578
This chart does not carry any of Joan's children
forward. The Bartholomew line is carried
forward to John Hathaway. And the comments
there are:
Will dated 7 August in the 17th year of our
Sovereign Lord George 2. Proved 2 April 1746.
Leaves his freeholds for life to his mother and
after her decease to his three sisters, Sarah,
Elizabeth and Susanna. To Jane Webb. With his
decease, the male line of Hathaway of Shottery
became extinct.
From this, we would gather that any relationship
to Anne would have to exist, if it does, in earlier
generations. There have been efforts to link
Richard to the Hathaways of the Forest of Dean,
but we are not aware of any successful efforts.
From Ruth Keightley in the Spring 2000 Hathaway
Family Association Newsletter.
| Anne Hathaway's Cottage in Stratford on Avon, England |
