Hay Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Hay last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Hay last name
Meaning of the Hay last name: hedge, enclosure. Hay is a Scottish surname of Norman origin, from La Haye in Normandy, "the hedge, enclosure". William de la Haye settled in Scotland in the twelfth century, and his descendants became Earls of Erroll and hereditary High Constables of Scotland. The last name is common in Aberdeenshire and Perthshire.
Arms associated with the Hay name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Hay name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Hay family history
This is only a glimpse of the Hay story. The full Hay history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Hay coat of arms. Get the full Hay report.
Hay name FAQ
What does the Hay name mean?
hedge, enclosure. Common variants include Hays, Haye, de la Haye.
Where does the Hay surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Is there a Hay coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Hay coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).