This is not a complete list of all the early records which include references to Harkness but it shows that the name was widely distributed in the east and southern districts of Scotland from early times.
(Some of the links mentioned are to pages which have yet to be published.)

 Details of the above are listed below. 

• Thomas de HARDKNEYS – First Friday August 1280 – Glencorse, Midlothian. Farmer. Recorded as juror at inquest into fines for stray animals on lands of Bavelay in the Pentland Hills held at St.Katherines Chapel.
  (Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland. Volume iv, Addenda 1221 – 1435, para 1762. Joseph Bain).

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• John HERKNES – I2th April 1447 – Peebles.  Chaplain. Copy of a Charter by Sir David Haye, lord of Leuchorwart, and baron of Hopprew, knt, for the safety of his soul etc. to S. Michael the Archangel of Wester Happrew and tbe perpetual vicar of Stobo of one acre of Westerhopprew, lying on the north side of and between the torrent and the Halecroft in the shire of Peebles: Doing there for the said Vicar of Stobo, or by a suitable chaplain, the wont divine service for the Kirkland as of old: Witnesses, Gylbert de Haye, John de Borthwyc, Pat. de Lowys, and Master and Sir John de Kokburne and John Herknes, chaplain: at Pebyllis, 12 April 1447.
  (Calendar of Writs Preserved at Yester House 1166-1625. Charles Harvey and John Macleod. Pub. Edinburgh 1930.)
  

• Sir Thomas HARDKNESS – 20^th April 1448 – Peebles. Notary Public. Master John Wach and Sir Thomas Hardkneis, notaries of public witnessed a charter in which Sir John Blounte, Rector of Lyne, gifted a building to the town of Peebles. [As an example of spelling variations Peebles is spelled Peblis in this document]
  (Charters Relating to the Burgh of Peebles).

• Thomas HARDKNESS – 26^th November 1448 – Jedburgh. Notary Public. Notorial Transumpt, at the instance of Sir David de Haya, knt. Lord of Louchqworwart ———— . Transumpt dated at the Castle of Jedwordfelde in the Hall thereof 26th November 1148. Witnesses, Sir James Cokburn Dean of the Christianity of Peblis, Gilbert of Haya, James Malvil, Archibald Malvile, Henry of Borthwyc, Esquires, Thomas Hardkneis is notary.
  (Calendar of Writs Preserved at Yester House 1166-1625. Charles Harvey and John Macleod. Pub. Edinburgh 1930).
  
  
• Herbert HARKNEIS -18 February 1498 – Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire. A precept of remission, pardon, was given to Cuthbert Hert dwelling in Lochmaben, for “arte and parte of the slauchter of umquile [late] Herbert Harkneis committit x zeris syne [10 years since] and for al cryme that may be impute to him thairthrow”. [It is reasonable to assume that Herbert Harkneis was living somewhere around the Lochmaben area].
   (Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland. Vol.1. 1488-1529).
• Roger HERDKEIS – 17^th November 1500 – Dalgarnok, Dumfriesshire.
  “Action by Adam of Kirkpatrik against John of Kirkpatrik, second son of the deceased Thomas Kirkpatrik of Closeburne, and Roger Herdkeis and John Makene, tenants of the 40s lands of Dalgarnok of old extent pertaining to Adam of Kirkpatrik [of Pennyrsax (deleted)] for not renouncing the said 40 s. land lying in the toune and soilze of Dalgarnock at the est end of thesammyn, in the parochin of Dalgarnok and shirefdome of Dumfrieis … … ”.
   (Acts of the Lords of Council in Civil Causes. Vol. II, 1496 – 1501. Page 436. Pub. Edinburgh, 1918).

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• Sir James HARKNES – 26^th November 1501 – Edinburgh. Chaplain. The second hour after noon, records Sir James Harknes, chaplain in the collegiate church of St. Giles (St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh), witnessing a property transaction.
  (Protocol Book of John Foular, Notary Public in Edinburgh).
• Sir John HARTNESS 23^rd April 1506 “to dispone be Frere Patrick Rankinis”.
  (Accounts of the High Treasurer of Scotland. Vol. iii, 1506-1507, page 72).

• Sir John HARKNES – 20^th April 1508 – Edinburgh. Chaplain. Foular records Sir John Harknes chaplain, St. Giles, witness to a transaction and further entries on the following dates:- 9^th September 1508; 24^th May 1520; 20^th June 1522 and; 23^rd May 1523 – All “Done in St. Giles before the altar of St. Ninian”.
  (Protocol Book of John Foular, Notary Public in Edinburgh).

• Sir John HARKNESS – April 11^th 1533. Chaplain – Edinburgh. Chaplain. Foular’s final entry in relation to Sir John Harkness is as follows:- “Entry 483.. Compeared personally Andrew Mowbray, burgess, undoubted patron of that service of the sacred chaplainry founded by the late Andrew Mowbray, his grandfather, at the altar of St. Ninian, situated within the collegiate church of St. Giles, now vacant in his hands by the death of the late Sir John Harkness, last chaplain and possessor thereof; which Andrew of his own free will, gave granted and presented, …..
  (Protocol Book of John Foular, Notary Public in Edinburgh).
• 1541 – 1623. There are a number of entries relating to HARKNESS in the south of Scotland, mostly in Dumfriesshire, – see Reivers. (not yet published)
• Nicholas HARKNESS – 24^th May 1546. Witness – Dumfriesshire.
  ”Memorandum narrating that James Hannay, son of John Hannay in Craigvild deceased, and James Hannay in Ernemolloch, uncompelled and of their own free will resigned all right, claim, and kindness in the six shillings and eightpennies lands of Vodheid, with their kindness in the mill thereof in the parish of Troqueer, Lorship of Lag, and stewartry of Kirkcudbright, occupied by John Greir in Vodheid in favour of Herbert Irving in Trailtrow. Done in the notary’s chamber. Witnesses, Nicholas Harkness, William Maxwell, dwelling with John Maxwell of Lochrutoun, Thomas Hornar, and Sir James Carrutheris, chaplain.
  24^th May 1546.
  (Anderson Protocol Book reproduced in D & G Transactions 3^rd series, Vol. II 1913 – 1914, pages 200/201)
• Edward HARKNESS – 27^th January 1616. Merchant – Edinburgh. “Burgess. Harkness, Edward. Burgess, mt [merchant] (hagbuit) (= armed with a hagbuit or arquebus – see Act of 22 December 1567) by right of his wife Barabara, daughter to David Book, mt. Burgess”.
  (Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses 1406 –1700).

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• 1657 – 1800 There are twenty Testaments (Wills) for Harkness family members in the counties of Dumfries and Peebles see Testaments. (Not yet published).
  (Commissary Court Records)
• 1665 – 1684 – Edinburgh. Nine separate entries relating to Harkness – including John ‘stabler’, widow Janet Pagens; John ‘flesher’, widow Helen Finlayson; children; and Bessie Harkness.
  (Internments at Greyfriars Burying Ground, Edinburgh 1658 – 1700).
• 1671 12^th August – John Harkness in Lochmaben. Enterered into bond along with others not to assault John Johnstone of Elsiellshiells ?, Bailie of Lochmaben
• Enterkin Rescue Tuesday 29^th July 1684. Dumfriesshire rescue of Covenanter prisoners led by James Harkness supported by his Harkness brother and cousin. Thomas Harkness later captured and executed in Grassmarket, Edinburgh 15^th August 1684. There are other records of Harkness involvement in the covenanting cause, particularly James Harkness.
  (Reg. of Privy Council of Scotland. 3^rd Series, Vol. IX, 1684). See Enterkin and related pages.
• Thomas HARKNESS, 12th May 1693 – Edinburgh. “Harkness, Thomas. Burgess and Guild Brother gratis. (DCSDH – according to the list given in to the Lord Provost by David Crawford Secretary to the Duke of Hamilton of his servitors and others. 12th May, 1693″ (Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses 1406 – 1700).
• John HERKNESS. 31st October 1693. Bedrule, Roxburghshire. Married Margaret Aitchison “parishioners in Kirktonne”. There are a number of ‘Harkness’ baptisms and marriages in the Roxburghshire Old Parish Records from 1693 on.
  (Old Parish Records, Scotland)
• Adamus HARKNESS. 1696. Glasgow. Graduate – law.
  (Bannatyne Club. Munimenta Alme Aniversitatis Glasguensis. Vol iii, page 159).
• Adamus HARKNESS, 1699 – Edinburgh. Graduate.
  (Catalogue of Graduates in Art, Divinity and Law. P.163. Edinburgh University. 1858).
• John HERKNESS, 1698. Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire. Burgess and miller. Fined forty pounds Scots for ‘forstalling of victuall’. There are a number of entries relating to ‘Harkness’ in the Lochmaben Court Book dating from 1612 to 1702.
  (Lochmaben Court and Council Book 1612 – 1721. Ed. John B. Wilson. Pub. Scottish Records Society, New Series Vol. 23. Edinburgh 2001).
• James HARKNESS. 16^th June 1740 – Hawick. Mason. Litigation regarding payment for a bridge built in Hawick.
  (Manuscript Nha. Misc. 73 (98) National Library of Scotland).
• Marion HARKNESS. 1746. Roxburghshire. “In 1746 Birkhill had a tenant called William Harkness, who had a daughter Marion. When Prince Charlie’s army spent a night in the parish she with a few others visited the camp and expressed a wish to follow the Prince, and made a fool of herself following him up Wauchope rigg until brought back by some of her friends”
  (Rulewater and its People. An Account of the Valley of the Rule and its Inhabitants. George Tancred).
• George HARKNESS. 22^nd July 1765. Crowsknowe, Dumfriesshire. “Here lyes George Harkness in Crowesknowe who departed this life July 22^nd 1765 aged 63 years……” (Born 1702). There are numerous early gravestone inscriptions relating to Harkness families in Dumfriesshire. The above is of particular interest because the stone bears a chevron and fleur de lys ‘Harkness’ coat of arms and is situated in the Tower of Sark graveyard reputed to be the last resting place of the notorious reiver ‘Kinmont Willie’ Armstrong.
  (Memorials of Half-Morton and Morton, Tower of Sark. Gilchrist and Shannon. 1965).
  
  

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