HEMUS of C17th NTT, LON, NW NOR & LIN

The current head of my HEMUS family tree is Joseph HEMUS (n. by 1678, d. by 1720) and wife Sarah (of unknown family) my 8xGGPs - their marriage by 1696 is sought.

Their daughter Hannah HEMUS (c. 7.2.1696/7 at High Pavement Presbyterian Chapel, Nottingham), one of two daughters known to date, married Nathaniel CRISP of Nottingham on 1.10.1716 at St Andrew by the Wardrobe, London. It should be noted that this CRISP family have both Nottingham and London references, and published transcripts of High Pavement Baptisms (Record Series Vol. 53) has transcribed her surname as HENRY.

Some early wills of the Lincolnshire THOMAZIN family (1692 & 1720) contain the HEMUS surname, and are referred to as Kinsmen. The 1692 will refers to William HEMUS, Robert HEMUS, Roger HEMUS & Joseph HEMUS, sons of Richard HEMUS, late. Also a Joseph HEMUS, s/o William HEMUS, late. The 1720 will refers to Mary HEMUS, d/o of Joseph HEMUS of Sutton St. Edmond (S. Lincs/NW Norfolk border); Robert HEMUS of Wisbech, Norfolk; Richard HEMUS, s/o Robert HEMUS; Sarah HEMUS, d/o William HEMUS deceased; Elizabeth HEMUS & Hannah HEMUS (my 7xGGM), daughters of Joseph HEMUS of Nottingham by his first wife. Elizabeth perhaps = EVANS (below).

William TOMAZIN, Yeoman of Crowland, County of Lincoln – LCC WILLS 1695/96: Wife=Mary

Bequeaths unto William HEMUS & Robt. (Robert) HEMUS ye sons of Rich’d (Richard) HEMUS Late deceased - Ten Shillings apiece and his Horse Saddle to Robt.
Gives unto Roger HEMUS ye Son of ye sed Rich’………. Three pounds (these £3 to be paid to Wm HEMUS for the use of said Roger - assumed below full age?).
Gives & bequeaths to Joseph HEMUS one oth’r Son of ye sed Rich’……… Ten Shillings
Also gives to Joseph Son of Wm HEMUS Late decease……………. ? Shillings to buy a pair of gloves

Mary THOMAZIN, Widow of Crowland, County of Lincoln – LCC WILLS 1720/i/325 (Widow of above William?)

Gives and bequeaths unto Mary HEMUS ye daughter of Joseph HEMUS of Sutton St . Edmond (Kinsman) House on North Street (with all and singular of appurtenanses thereunto…).
Gives and bequeaths unto Robert HEMUS of Wisbich (sic. Wisbech) Kinsman……………………………. ….. Five Pounds.
Gives and bequeaths unto Rich’d HEMUS the son of Robert HEMUS aforesaid Kinsman……Five Pounds.
Gives and bequeaths unto Sarah HEMUS the daughter of William HEMUS Kinsman deceased………Ten Pounds.
Gives and bequeaths unto Elizabeth and Hannah ye daughters of Joseph HEMUS of Nottingham Kinsman deceased which he had by his first wife…… Elizabeth 5 Pounds; Hannah 10 Pounds.
Gives and bequeaths unto Joseph HEMUS Loveing Kinsman as executor………All ye rest….
(She also leaves money to Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas CROSS).

Other London references noted which may be from the same family are:
Elizabeth HEMUS = George EVANS: m. 23.1.1749 at St Marylebone, St Mary Street
Mary HEMUS = Thomas KEEN: m. 18.12.1775 at St Boltolphe, Bishopsgate

The Worcs. LDS also shows some of the earliest (so far unrelated) references:
Joseph s/o John HEMUS: c. 22.1.1675 Old Swinford
Joseph = Sarah WASSELL: m. 25.12.1770 Old Swinford
Humfry HEMUS = Isabell LANGFORD: m. 21.10.1618 at Kings Norton
Moris HEYMUS = Anne CLARSON: m. at St John’s, Bromsgrove 6.6.1655

Spelling variants cited: EMUS, EMMUSS, EMMES, etc., including nailers connected to Independent Chapels. My Joseph, above, may well be one of the seven brothers who reportedly came to England.

The HEMUS name occurs frequently in the parish registers of St. Laurence, Northfield

Soloman HEMUS appears three times in the registers of St. Michaels, Bartley Green as a parent at the following marriages where parents are nailers and occupations of their offspring (the name of the son or daughter being married not given):
1906, Nailer, Giggins Lane (son or son-in-law metal caster);
1907, Nailer, Bartley Green (son/son-in-law brass caster);
1915 (dec.), Nailer, Jiggins Lane (son or son-in-law metal caster).

"Charles HEMUS died Nov 5th 1880 aged 86 years. Also Mercy wife of above died Feb 1891 aged 86 years. Also Hannah HEMUS died Mar 22nd 1922 aged 89 years. Also Helen GROVE died July 16th 1923 aged 95 years daughter of above."

"John son of Joseph & Nancy HEMUS died April 5th 1801 aged 13 yrs. Also Charles HEMUS died April 17th 1869 aged 29 years son of Charles & Mercy HEMUS and grandson of the above. Also Joseph HEMUS died Feb 24th 1825 aged 69 years. Also Nancy wife of Joseph HEMUS died Sep 6th 1848.

Henry CRISP and an S. CRISP were witnesses to a HEMUS marriages at Hanwell, Middlesex in 1830, which may support the London connections of both families.

Trivia Section

HEMUS, may be a name derived from "Hemes" from Middle English "eme" for uncle - i.e. a person under the responsibility of their uncle, otherwise the main family name appears to come from "hæm" in relation to iron and appears linked to the mountains of that name.

Stories concerning the origins of the name are through Bohemia, perhaps Hungary (present day). One story suggests the name comes from the Hemus or Hæmus Mountains of ancient NE Greece/modern Bulgaria.

The mountains were indicated in some 19^th century Bibles as the Hæmus Mountains, just north of the northern border of Thrace (NE Greece). Running W-E, the western end of the name is at about the source of the Nestos River. In relation to modern geography the border of Thrace is much closer to the sea than the 19^th century map, with the Nestos River rising in Bulgaria and flowing through Thrace. The mountain range is un-named on many atlases but may today be called Rhodope, (Rodópi, Rodhópi). Both these mountain range names are related to the colour red. [Hæma- is from the Greek haima, blood; rhodo- (rose-coloured) is from the Greek rhodon, rose. Certainly in classical texts it appears that both names have been used and Haemus is often referred to as a mountain. There is also wine called Hemus produced in Bulgaria.

The Rhodope Mountains, the oldest and highest mountains in Bulgaria, make up a considerable part of the TrakioMacedonian massif, which gives the Balkan peninsula its mountainous relief. They cover over 18,000 sq km, of which 15,000 sq km are located in Bulgaria, and 3,000 sq km in Greece. The Rhodopes occupy approximately one-seventh of Bulgaria, extending over almost the whole of the southern border. The highest peak, Perelik, rises 2,191m above sea level.

Hemus is apparently a Greek surname also. The story is of seven brothers who migrated to England, probably as religious refugees any time from C15th onwards. Various family stories appear to have the family in Bohemia and south of France before England. The surname is pronounced "Haymash" in Hungary today.

Contacts & Researchers:

Trivia Section