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Noble Haringtons

Most Harringtons in the U.S. can either trace their lineage to immigrant ancestors from Ireland who came to the US in the 19th century, or to immigrants from England who came to the US in the 17th century.

The Domesday Book gives indications of the origin of the Harrington lineage in pre-1000 England. Early Harrington Genealogists have postulated that the English Harringtons descend from one Osulf, perhaps a viking or descendant of a viking invader.

Researcher Loretta Heyen found a Herrington line in Durham Co. England in the 1000-1200 timeframe, and may have found a link between this line and an Osulf:

In Grimby, The Harington Family, he mentions they originate from Osulf and cites an Osulf that was 400 years earlier than the records in Harrington, Cumberland Co. Well, I have found an Osulf more recent than that one. The older Osulf was an earlier Earl/Count of Norhumbria than this one. I have records that list him during the time of ca 1041-1067. He was in contention for the Earl of Northumbria as were a number of other people during the time (when William the Conqueror was taking over that part of England). This Osulf was supposedly murdered in Fall 1067. His relative Gospatrick/Cospatrick was appointed after that among others. This Gospatrick ended up with lands in Cumberland and it looks like one of his desendants daughters married a Harrington there as other records show.

I have reason to believe it is the older Robert Harrington in Grimble's book rather than a first wife to the one who marries Agnes Cancefield. The place where the younger Osulf lived primarily was Bamburgh Northumberland which on the border of northeastern Scotland near where Durham county had land which was apart from the main county on the east Coast. Now this is interesting because it puts Osulf near where the other Herrington line originated. I "feel" quite certain that this is the Osulf from whom they originated (I have found the genealogy of all the Earls/Counts of Northumbria) and am searching the old English books, etc at Indiana Univesity to find a connection more firm.

Harrington Nobility

Many researchers have investigated the Harington (note the single R!) line and its association with the "two R" Harrington lines. This lineage and its relationships with other Harrington lines is discussed in the Noble Harington section of this web site.

Immigrants in the 17th century

The two most prolific Harrington immigrants, Benjamin Herendeen of Rhode Island and Robert Harrington of Watertown came to England as part of the Puritan pilgrimage to the US. Both men were early pioneers of New England and both gave rise to extensive numbers of descendants. However, the ancestry of both of these men is subject to controversy, though it is generally accepted that they originated from England. There is speculation that either or both of these men were descendants of John Harrington of Kelston or a Harrington family in Bourne or Witham-on-the-Hill.

Both Benjamin and Robert are grouped into the so-called Northern Harrington group, as their descendants appear to have remained primarily in the northern states of the US. An equally important group, the Southern Harringtons, arose in the South Eastern areas of the US in colonial times. The exact ancestry of this group has not been determined, but it is fairly strongly believed that this group originated from England, either directly, or perhaps through Benjamin or Robert.

Later Immigrints

While the 17th century English immigrints have been of most interest to Harrington genealogists, immigration of Harringtons to America from England has continued, presumably to this day.

UK & Ireland Genealogy