2,211 Global HEARNS Family Members

HEARNS Family History

Recorded in a number of spellings including Hearn, Hern, Hearner, Hirn, Hearnes, Hearns, and possibly others, this is an English surname. It is either topographical and describes a person who lived by a hyrne or locational for somebody who came from a place so called. Hyrne was a pre 7th century word for a hidden corner of land or perhaps a bend in a river. The famous auther Chaucer records that on his travels he was often "Lurking in hernes, and in lanes blinde". The places known as Herne in the county of Kent and Hirn in the county of Hampshire are examples of locational names which have produced surnames.