Hastings

Hastings city (1991 pop. 74,979) and district, East Sussex, SE England. A resort and residential city, Hastings is backed by cliffs and has a 3-mi (4.8-km) marine esplanade, parks, and bathing beaches. The site was occupied in Roman times. It was made famous by the battle of Hastings, which took place at nearby Battle on Oct. 14, 1066, between the Normans under William, duke of Normandy (later William I), and the Anglo-Saxons under Harold. The battle, one of the most celebrated in English history, was won by William's force after a single day's fighting. This was the first and most decisive victory of the Norman Conquest of England. Hastings became one of the Cinque Ports .

Hastings E. Sussex. Hastinges 1086 (DB). ‘(Settlement of) the family or followers of a man called *Hǣsta’. OE pers. name + -ingas. Earlier Hæstingaceaster c.915, ‘Roman town of *Hǣsta's people’, from OE ceaster.

Hastings, Australia, Barbados, Canada, New Zealand, UK, USA 1. Canada (Ontario): named after General Francis Rawdon‐Hastings (1754–1826), 1st Marquess of Hastings and 2nd Earl of Moira, who fought in the American War of Independence (1775–83) and subsequently was governor‐general of Bengal and commander‐in‐chief of forces in India (1813–23).2. New Zealand (North Island): settled in 1864 and named after Warren Hastings (1732–1818), the first governor‐general of British India (1774–85).3. UK (England): formerly Hæstingaceaster and Hastinges. The first name meant the ‘(Roman) Town of Hsta's People’ from an Old English personal name, ‐ingas, and ceaster; the later name meant the ‘(Place of) the Family, or Followers, of Hsta’. His name probably came from the Old English hst ‘violent’ and his tribe was known as the Hstingas.4. USA (Nebraska): founded in 1872 and named after Colonel Thomas D. Hastings who did much to organize a railroad through the town.