Show ContentsAlkire History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient and distinguished surname Alkire is of two distinct origins. It is believed that the name was originally derived from the Old English word "ealdgar," meaning "noble spear." Alternatively, in some instances, the name signifies "of Altcar," a village near Ormskirk in Lancashire. [1]

Early Origins of the Alkire family

The surname Alkire was first found in Norfolk, where William Alker was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1212. In this instance, the name is probably derived from the Old English "ealdgar," making it likely that this branch of the family is of Anglo-Saxon descent. William de Altekar was recorded in the "Calendar of Letter Books" of London in 1341; the preposition "de," as well as the spelling of the name, indicates that this branch of the family hailed from Altcar in Lancashire. [2] It is likely that the family estate of this branch was still located in Altcar (Great Altcar), Lancashire at this time. "This place seems to be the Acrer of the Domesday Survey, at which period it was held by Uctred; it was afterwards held by the abbots of Merivale, and continued with them till the Dissolution. The parish takes its name from the river Alt, and the word car, meaning low land. " [3] So as far as the origin of the place name is concerned there is some doubt, but there is no doubt that many of the family originated in West Lancashire.

Early History of the Alkire family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alkire research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1549 and 1866 are included under the topic Early Alkire History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alkire Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Alkire has undergone many spelling variations, including Alker, Alkar, Altcar, Alkire, Alger, Algar, Allgar, Allger, Allker and many more.

Early Notables of the Alkire family

More information is included under the topic Early Alkire Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alkire Ranking

In the United States, the name Alkire is the 10,130th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [4]


United States Alkire migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Alkire were among those contributors:

Alkire Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J. Alkire, aged 30, originally from La Guayra, arrived in New York in 1897 aboard the ship "Caracas" from Venezuela and Curacao [5]
Alkire Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Josiak Alkire, aged 29, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Lafayette" from Le Havre, France [5]
  • Mary L. Alkire, aged 44, arrived in New York in 1924 aboard the ship "Patria" from Naples, Italy [5]

Contemporary Notables of the name Alkire (post 1700) +

  • Elbern H. "Eddie" Alkire (1907-1981), American Hawaiian guitarist, inductee into The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame
  • Jason Alkire, American fashion designer, co-founder of the Haus Alkire fashion label
  • Brigadier General Darr Hayes Alkire (1903-1977), American pilot and commander during World War II and the Korean War, recipient of the Air Force DSM and the Silver Star
  • Richard C Alkire, American professor of electrochemical engineering at the University of Illinois
  • Brien Alkire, associate operations researcher with RAND Corporation in California
  • Jeff Alkire, well-known Australian jazz saxophonist
  • Andrew Alkire Trumbo (1797-1871), American politician, United States Representative from Kentucky


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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