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![Show Contents]() Allstead History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The Allstead name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Halstead, a place name found in Essex, Kent, and Leicestershire. The place name is derived from the Old English terms heald, which meant refuge or shelter, and stede, which meant place. The name as a whole means "place of shelter," and probably refers to a place which was well sheltered from the elements. The family name would have meant "dweller at a place of refuge." There is a second origin for this name, making it a polygenetic surname. It may also be occupational, referring to a "worker at the hall buildings," or a person who took care of livestock. Early Origins of the Allstead familyThe surname Allstead was first found in Essex where town and civil parish located in Braintree District. The Domesday Book offers two listing for the place Halstead. The first was listed as Haltesteda 1 in Essex, land held by William de Warenne and part of the Hundred of Hinckford. The land held 2 hides (land enough for two households) less 4 acres where 30 free men lived before the Conquest. Over in Leicestershire, the village Elstede 1 was listed in the same reference as land held by the King, part of Allexton and was 3 carucates of land, less 2 bovates; in other words much smaller than the Essex village. 2 To complicate things more, Halstead is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, but this village is not listed in the Domesday Book. Early History of the Allstead familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Allstead research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1181, 1794 and 1878 are included under the topic Early Allstead History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Allstead Spelling VariationsOnly 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 Allstead has undergone many spelling variations, including Halstead, Halsted and others. Early Notables of the Allstead familyMore information is included under the topic Early Allstead Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Allstead familyTo 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 Allstead were among those contributors: John Halstead who arrived in New York State in 1775; David, and Joseph Halstead arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1856; George Halsted settled in Virginia in 1731..
- 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)
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