Hebden Family Genealogy
Family Trees and data for Hebden, Hebdon, Hebdin,
Hibden, Hepton, Ebden. Ebdon and Webden,
Collectively known as The Hebden Clan
1501 to 1700
Though I have defined specific time periods for each of these sections, for most Hebden families life continued to be
centred around agriculture , the homestead and prayer,. Most families still lived in the Yorkshire Dales, where the
monastries and abbeys, such as Fountains and Rievaulx, owned huge tracts of land gifted to them over the years.
Most of the peasant farmers farmers rented land from the abbeys and raised sheep, selling the wool back to the
monastries. In 1535, Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of 376 Abbeys and Monastries, and their lands were sold off
cheaply to Nobles and Merchants. In turn, they sold land to former tenant farmers, who at last became landowners.
In this period, many Hebden families bought land and moved further afield. While Burnsall, Conistone and
Oughtershaw remained as established locations, Hebden families settled* in Knaresborough (1525), Grimwith (1538),
Hampsthwaite (1550), Sawley (1553), Hubberholme (1582), and Otley (1592). These early settlements were clustered
along the main routes in sheltered valleys, and not surprisingly became more sparse in the remote upland areas to
the northwest, as shown in the map below.
* Earliest reference to land ownership in Graham Prattens listing of Hebden Family Events, available on this site as
“The Timeline”
The modern road map above shows early family migrations along the roads surrounding Hebden Moor,
Conistone Moor and Whernside. The roads followed Wharfedale to the west, Nidderdale to the East, and the
east/west roads, the old packhorse road B6265 from Settle to Ripon and the A59 in the south from Skipton to York.
1100 - 1500
1501 - 1700
1701 - 1836
1837 - 1913
1914 -1938
1939 - 2000
A.D 950 - 1099
Sir John Hebdon
Arms Salesman to the Czar of Russia
One of the most successful family members of this
period was Sir John Hebdon (1612 - 1670) who was
probably descended from the Burwash (Sussex family).
John Hebdon was born about 1612 in London. After
twenty years serving British Interests in Russia, he
became Envoy to the Russian Court of Czar Alexis, and
was knighted by Charles II in 1663.
As well as his diplomatic duties, part of Sir John’s remit
was the procurement and shipment of arms for Alexis,
including cannons, gunpowder and other weapons. The
links with Merchant Taylors and the arms trade
suggests a connection with the Burwash Hebdons, who
had a well-established business as arms manufacturers
to the British Crown.
Sir John Hebden and his wife Phillipa had six children.
they were John Hebdon b. 1635, Mary Hebdon b.circa
1637, Richard hebdon b.1639 (died 1668) , Elizabeth
Hebdon, b. circa 1642, Thomas Hebdon and Robert
Hebdon.
Sir John and his family lived in Tooting, on or near the
site of the present day Springfield Hospital. Today,
HEBDON ROAD exists just south of the Hospital. Sir
John died in June 1670 and his memorial is in Tooting
Church.
To see Sir John Hebdon’s Family Tree Chart, click Here.
A portrait of Sir John Hebden by the Dutch artist
Ferdinand Bols, painted about 1653. (Reproduced by
courtesy of Helen Campbell Foundation, Houston, Texas)
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