Harden

Recorded in several 'modern' spellings including Arderne, Ardron, Arden, Hardan, Harden, Hardern, Hareden and probably others, this is an English surname of medieval origins. It is locational and is either from one of the places called Harden, such as Harden in the county of Staffordshire, or Harden near Bingley, or from Arderne, now Arderne Hall, in Cheshire. The place names probably all mean 'The high valley' from the pre 7th century Olde English 'heah - denu' and certainly the Yorkshire places are definately about as high as one can get in the localities. Locational surnames were generally 'from' names. As such they were usually given to people who had moved away from their original homesteads, and thereafter were most easily identified by being called after them. Spelling over the centuries being at best indifferent and local dialects very thick, soon lead as with this name to the creation of 'sounds like' spellings. However it was said in 1880 that the Ardernes have occupied Arderne since the 12th century. If so the very first known recording of the surname is believed to be that of Heloise de Arderne in the tax rolls known as the Feet of Fines for Cheshire in 1171. Ricardus de Hareden of Wiltshire, appears in the Hundred rolls of landowners of that county in 1273, whilst in the same rolls but for the county of Northumberland, we have the recording of Henry de Hardene. Other recordings include Willelmus de Hardeyn in the Poll Tax rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, and Adam de Hardern also of Yorkshire in the same Poll Tax rolls.