Hebden Family Genealogy
Family Trees and data for Hebden, Hebdon, Hebdin,
Hibden, Hepton, Ebden. Ebdon and Webden,
Collectively known as The Hebden Clan
1837 to 1913: Civil Registration to The Great War
Births, Marriages and Death Records
The population was growing rapidly, especially in urban areas, and In the autumn of 1837, the government introduced
a compulsory, standardised system of civil birth, marriage and death registration in England and Wales. In 1841 this
was followed by the first national census, These two systems provided the first reliable statistics on population growth
and movement. In Scotland, Civil registration began in 1865, and in Ireland, registration of Births and deaths began in
1863, and included Roman Catholic Marriages, which were not included in the original legislation, from 1864.
The approximate numbers of Hebden and derived surnames in the 1841 England and Wales census are Hebden (551),
Hebdin (27), Hebdon (67), Hepden (13), Hepton (96), Ebden (71), Ebdon (60), and Epton (173). These numbers are
subject to modern transcription errors and vagaries of spelling and literacy at the time.
The migration of Hebden Clan families from the Yorkshire Dales in the late 1700's (see here) increased substantially,
first to the prospering industrial towns and cities in the the North of England and then to areas further afield. The map
below, compiled from a study of Hebden birth registrations give an interesting insight into the spread of the family and
its derivatives from 1837 onwards, though Hebden Clan families were already well established in most major cities
(particularly London) much earlier.
For 1920 US Census and 1930 US Census Click the links
on the Data Pages
Canada: A Gateway to the USA
Many migrants from the U.K. headed for Canada. As a Dominion it was easier for British Subjects to enter Canada
than the United States, and once there entry to the US was via a land border rather than disembarkation at New
York or Boston. Canada also had many attractions in its own right, was more “Anglicised” or European than its
neighbour, and its abundance of cheap farming land offerd rich opportunities for settlers prepared to work hard.
For the Hebden Clan, the most popular choice was Ontario, together with Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba.
Although subsequent genertaions tended to move elsewhere, there are still mmany Hebden families in Ontario.
Australia
The earliest settlers in Australia had little choice about being there. Later
emigrants from the U.K. headed for Victoria, entering via Melbourne or
New South Wales entering via Sydney. As with the USA and Canada, life in
Australia offered opportunity, freedom of choice and potential wealth
which Alastair Cooke famously described as “The Abundant Life”.
The image (right) Australia: Land of Opportunity”, is from the collection of
Bjorn Larsson, http://www.timetableimages.com
A number of Shipping Lines operated services from the UK to Australia,
notably Orient Line and Australian Commonwealth Steamers, sailing from
London via the Suez Canal and Colombo to Freemantle, Adelaide,
Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The journey from London to Melbourne
took about seven weeks.
For lists of Hebden Clan Immigrants travelling to Victoria on unassisted
passages. click here or go to the Data Pages.
India
Most immigration to india and the sub-continent took place as a result of military, Government and Commercial
activity during the Empire period. Many of the people connected with the Indian Government under British rule
stayed on, as did those with interests in the tea plantations, and import and export businesses. India did not have
the same levels of immigration seen in the United States and Canada, or Australia in the 20th century.
To find families and descendants in other countries go to the People and Places pages and check the list of counties,
towns and cities. Click on the number ot the Family Tree Chart to explore the particular branch of the family shown.
Emmigration
A Fresh Start in the USA
In more recent times other factors encouraged family members to seek
a fresh start in America. Low wages and poor working conditions and
the threat of war prior to 1914 started a mass exodus from Europe
including the U.K.
In Canada and the United States, the period between 1865 and 1917
was one of rapid industrial growth and urbanisation. By this time, the
descendants of earlier migrants (English, Scots, Germans and
Scandinavians) were largely working as skilled labourers. With the
increasing importance of mass production, the need for large numbers of
unskilled labourers meant that many new immigrants were only able to
find work as assembly line workers. Female immigrants worked in both
skilled and unskilled employment, often in the textile industry or as
domestic help. Several members of my own family moved from
emplolyment in the Lancashire cotton mills and quickly found
better prospects in the textile mills of Philadelphia.
Because jobs were available in industrial areas, migrants from East
and southern Europe tended to settle in urban and industrial areas.
The overall effect was one of rapidly expanding cities and industrial
growth. It surprised me to find how many single females migrated,
often as groups of friends or neighbours, though this was more likely
to be because of improved marriage possibilities across the Atlantic!
The Migration of the Hebden Clan in England From 1837 to 1936
The map below, drawn from a study of Hebden birth registrations gives an interesting insight into the spread of the family and its
derivatives from 1837 onwards (though Hebden families were already well established in most major cities much earlier). The dates shown
are the earliest record of a Hebden Clan birth registed in that location.
1100 - 1500
1500 - 1700
1701-1836
1837 - 1913
1914-1938
1939 - 2000
A.D 950 - 1099
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