Alldeham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Alldeham is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in an enclosed place. The surname Alldeham literally means dweller at the old enclosure or dwelling.

Early Origins of the Alldeham family

The surname Alldeham was first found in Essex, Suffolk and Yorkshire at Aldham. In all cases, the place name meant "the old homestead," or "homestead of a man called Ealda," from the Old English personal name + "ham." 1

Aldham, Essex and Aldham, Suffolk were both listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 and both were listed under the same spelling, Aldeham. 2

Another branch of the family was found at Elford in Staffordshire. "Before the Conquest the manor [of Elford] belonged to Earl Algar, and in the reign of Henry III. was held by William de Alderne, whose descendants continued to enjoy it until the marriage of the heiress of Sir John Alderney with the Stanleys, when the property passed to that family." 3

Aldhelm (640?-709), was Bishop of Sherborne, the son of Kenten. "Aldhelm was no less great as a builder than as a scholar. He built a church dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul to be the head church of his monastery. He also built two other churches at Malmesbury. One of these, St. Mary's, succeeded St. Peter's as the chief church in the tenth century. " 4

Early History of the Alldeham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alldeham research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1652 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Alldeham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alldeham 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. Alldeham has been spelled many different ways, including Aldham, Aldam, Aldem, Aldum, Aldeham, Aldom, Eldham, Eldam, Eldum, Haldiman and many more.

Early Notables of the Alldeham family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Aldham or Aldam (c. 1616-1660), an English Quaker who was imprisoned in York in 1652 for speaking in a "steeple-house" (church), and fined 40 shillings for refusing to pay...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Alldeham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Alldeham family

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 Alldehams to arrive in North America: Daniel Aldam aged 27 who settled in Maryland in 1775.

Citations +

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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print