Aldrige History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Aldrige comes from when its first bearer worked as a the Old English personal name Aldrich, meaning old ruler, and refers to "a son of Aldrich." 1

Another source has a different approach to the origin of the name. "These surnames may be local in origin, but usually derive from Old English Ælfric 'elf-ruler' or Æðelric 'noble ruler'. Both survived the Conquest, by which time the first element had often been reduced to Al- or El- and consequently cannot be distinguished. A common post-Conquest form of Æðelric was Ailric or Eilric." 2

Early Origins of the Aldrige family

The surname Aldrige was first found in the counties of Sussex, Suffolk, and Surrey, where the Aldrige family held a family seat from very early times. The family had the Saxon spellings of Alderich, Ealdric, or possibly Aelfric before the Conquest. The Alderwick variant may have originated in West Sussex, near to Bognor Regis, in Aldwick.

Aldridge is a town in Staffordshire (now the West Midlands) that dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Alrewic and literally means "dwelling or farm among alders" having derived from the Old English word alor + wic. 3

The parish was originally in the union of Walsall, in the hundred of Offlow, comprised 7,752 acres and was anciently held by Robert, a tenant of William fitzAnsculf and was worth 15 shillings. 4 In Somerset, William Ailrich was listed there, 1 Edward III (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) 5

In London, the Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium in Turri Londinensi (1201-1483) lists John filius Aldrech. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include John Aldrich in Cambridgeshire and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include a listing for Robertus Aldrech. 1 John Aldryche was Bailiff of Yarmouth in 1469. 6

Early History of the Aldrige family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aldrige research. Another 34 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1507, 1511, 1515, 1566, 1647, 1681, 1687, 1688, 1689 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Aldrige History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aldrige Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Aldrige include Aldridge, Aldrich, Alderich, Alderidge, Eldrich, Elderidge, Elderich and many more.

Early Notables of the Aldrige family

Distinguished members of the family include Henry Aldrich (1647-1710), an English theologian, philosopher and architect who designed All Saints Church, Oxford. "In February 1681, he became canon of Christ Church, and in the following March B.D. and D.D. In 1687 and 1688 he wrote two tracts against Obadiah Walker in defence of Anglican principles; and upon the flight of Massey, the Roman Catholic dean of Christ Church under James II, the vacant deanery was bestowed upon Aldrich. He was installed 17 June 1689, and held the office with much distinction for the rest of his life. " 7Robert Aldrich or Aldridge...
Another 151 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Aldrige Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Aldrige family to Ireland

Some of the Aldrige family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aldrige migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Aldrige or a variant listed above:

Aldrige Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Fr Aldrige, who landed in Virginia in 1635 8
Francis Aldrige, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 8
Margerie Aldrige, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 8
William Aldrige, who landed in Virginia in 1665 8

Aldrige Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Jack Aldrige, who landed in Alabama in 1920 8

Aldrige 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:

Aldrige Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Aldrige, aged 23, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874

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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. 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)