Hatfield Families in America

I created this webpage as the introduction page to the Hatfield website that was created by Jerry Hatfield in 1997 or earlier. Jerry’s website contains information on the vast majority of the Hatfield families in America, starting in the 1700s. To my knowledge, we do not know who the immigrant ancestors are for any of the three main Hatfield families, which includes the “feuding” Hatfields of Southwest Virginia, the “Pennsylvania” line of Hatfields, and the Matthias Hatfield family.  Link to read more on Loyalist John Hatfield. The information on these Hatfield websites was compiled by Jerry Hatfield and was previously stored on ghat.com but that site went offline in March 2018.  Jerry Hatfield researched and compiled Hatfield genealogy information with the input of many Hatfield researchers for over 20 years.  I did not want to see Jerry’s years of hard work go away and that information lost, so I have moved Jerry’s website here. 

There is a LOT of information on these webpages, which include transcribed records, an index of all surnames (thousands of Hatfields and collateral names) on the websites,  including sources for all the information, with links to pages that have census data. So please explore. 

Be aware that I am NOT able to update or change ANY of the information on these Hatfield databases. If an email link is dead, I am NOT able to correct or update that either. Therefore, the Hatfield websites that link from here are “as is.”

y-DNA testing of Hatfield men has PROVEN that the “feuding” Hatfield family of southwest Virginia is NOT related to the “Pennsylvania” Hatfield, NOR the Matthias Hatfield family. And the Pennsylvania Hatfields are NOT related nor descended from Jurian/Georgius Hartsvelder. 

I have been a genealogist for over 30 years and I’ve never seen a comprehensive website such as this on ANY other family or group of families. Every Hatfield descendant owes Jerry Hatfield a debt of gratitude for his years of dedicated research and compilation of information for this website. 

The link to Jerry Hatfield’s email from this is not working. If you have a question, you may email me, Elaine Hatfield Powell, at [email protected]. However, keep in mind that I am NOT able to make ANY changes to the website.

I do not make a practice of calling out other websites for incorrect information; however, I feel the need to mention the the website at http://ourwebrocks.com/hatfielddetail.html which is entitled “Our Ancestry/Family Detail/Hatfield Family.” There is NO name or contact information/email anywhere on the site that indicates who created the site. There are NO references/sources listed for any of the claims of Hatfield males listed in a line of descent. This website illustrates that the earliest known Hatfield ancestor is Revenclus, Lord of West Hatfield 1000, born 100 AD Holderness, Yorkshire. According to the website, that direct Hatfield male line then descends down to Margaret Elearnor Hatfield, born 1944. There is history listed on the right side of the website that may or may not have anything to do with the Hatfield name on the left side of the website. The information on that website is incorrect! They have listed unrelated Hatfields in direct lineages. Y-DNA testing has proven that some of those Hatfields are not related to one another.

I visited the Hatfield House in England in 1993. I spent time in the repositories and libraries in the city of Hatfield to do  research. Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, built Hatfield House in 1611 close to The Old Palace (which was constructed in 1485 by the Bishop of Ely, and still stands today). The Hatfield House is adjacent to Hatfield Park. I discovered that the Hatfield House was NOT named for anyone named Hatfield and that it was in fact named for the fields of heather.  

2022 (c) Elaine Hatfield Powell 

Hatfield  Family History Introduction

I have registered the Hatfield surname with the Guild of One Name Studies.