 Fossils of the single and type species, "H. banksii", have been discovered in deposits of Silurian age in Herefordshire and Shropshire, England.The genus is named after Herefordshire, where most of the "Herefordopterus" fossils have been found.The specific epithet honors Richard Banks, who found several well-preserved specimens, including the first "Herefordopterus" fossils.