Contents [hide]

Holme History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Holme History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Holme is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in an area that was referred to as a holme, a slightly raised islet in a fen or partially surrounded by a stream or river. The surname Holme was originally derived from the Old English word Holen. 1 Another reference claims "A holme is defined by Halliwell as ' flat land; a small island; a deposit of soil at the confluence of two waters. Flat grounds near water are called holms.' " 2

While most references claim that the name was probably Anglo-Saxon, it could very well have been Norman in origin, as William du Holme was listed in Normandy (1180-1195) and William de Homes was also listed there in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae in 1198. 3

Early Origins of the Holme family

The surname Holme was first found in many counties throughout Britain. One of the earliest records of the name was Roger de Holm who was listed in 1186 in Leicestershire. A few years later, Urkel' de Holmes was listed in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219. John atte Holme was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1296 in Sussex. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Goscelin de Holme in Suffolk, and John in le Holme in Cambridgeshire. Over 100 years later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists: Thomas del Holme; Adam del Holme; and Johannes del Holme, 1379. 1

Hulam or Holom in Durham "anciently styled Holme, which is the term used to designate it in the Boldon book, formerly belonged to a family of the same name." 5

Early History of the Holme family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Holme research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1240, 1400, 1570, 1571, 1599, 1601, 1622, 1627, 1631, 1633, 1640, 1641, 1653, 1654, 1655, 1656, 1658, 1659, 1673, 1677, 1678, 1683, 1685, 1691, 1692, 1700, 1705, 1706, 1707, 1749, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Holme History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Holme Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Holme has been spelled many different ways, including Holme, Hulme, Holmes, Holms and others.

Early Notables of the Holme family

Distinguished members of the family include

Randle Holme I (1570-1655), first to bear the name, main duty was arranging funerals of those entitled to bear arms
Nathaniel Holmes or Homes (1599-1678), an English Independent theologian and preacher
Randle Holme II (c1601-1659), Chester city treasurer in 1633 and clerk to the Stationers' Company of Chester in 1641
Randle Holme III (1627-1700), steward to the Stationers' Company of Chester in 1656 and an alderman from 1659
Randle Holme IV (c. 1659-1707), worked in partnership with his father, Sheriff of Chester in 1705-1706
Admiral Sir John Holmes (1640-1683), an English naval leader and politician, Member of Parliament for Newtown (Isle of Wight) (1677-1685)

Migration of the Holme family to Ireland

Some of the Holme family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Holme migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Holmes to arrive in North America:

Holme Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Holme, who settled in Delaware in 1682 with his wife and four children
Thomas Holme, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 6

Holme Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Holme, who landed in Leeward Islands in 1730 6

Holme Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Holme, who arrived in New York in 1830 6

Holme migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Holme Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Holme, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Buckinghamshire" in 1839 7
Mr. John Holme, English convict who was convicted in Cumbria (Westmorland), England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 8th December 1839, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8

Holme migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Holme Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Hiram Holme, aged 21, a carpenter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
Jane Holme, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857

Holme migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 9

Holme Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Robert Holme, (b. 1612), aged 22, British settler travelling from London, UK arriving in St Christopher (St. Kitts) on 5th January 1634 6
Robert Holme, who settled in Barbados in 1654

Contemporary Notables of the name Holme (post 1700) +

Edward Holme (1770-1847), English physician, son of Thomas Holme, farmer and mercer, born at Kendal, Westmorland, on 17 Feb. 1770 10
Henry Redmayne Holme (1839-1891), Anglican bishop, Bishop of British Honduras (1891)
Lawrence Holme Twentyman (1783-1852), English-born, prominent Silversmith in Cape Town, South Africa
William Holme Twentyman (1802-1884), English-born, silversmith in Cape Town who made a considerable fortune on Mauritius and retired at the age of 39, creator of a sealed case for a pocket watch to be worn under water
Sir Dennis Holme Robertson (1890-1963), British economist 11
Helen Holme Warnock, American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Westport; Elected 1946 12

The Holme Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fide sed cui vide
Motto Translation: Trust, but in whom take care.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Buckinghamshire.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 4 August 2020
Dennis Robertson. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Dennis Robertson. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Robertson
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html