Alterdyce History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The ancestors of the first family to use the name Alterdyce lived among the ancient Scottish people called the Picts. The Alterdyce family lived in the old barony of Allardice, in the parish of Arbuthnott in Kincardineshire. This place name is derived from the Gaelic words all, which means "cliff" and deas which means "southern."

Early Origins of the Alterdyce family

The surname Alterdyce was first found in Kincardineshire (Gaelic: A' Mhaoirne), a former county on the northeast coast of the Grampian region of Scotland, and part of the Aberdeenshire Council Area since 1996, in a barony of the name Allardice, in the parish of Arbuthnot, about 1 mile north west of Inverbervie, where the Allardice Castle (also spelled Allardyce), the sixteenth-century manor house still stands today.

Early History of the Alterdyce family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alterdyce research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1413, 1607, 1612 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Alterdyce History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alterdyce Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Alterdyce has appeared Allardice, Allardyce, Allardes, Allardise, Allardyse, Allerdash, Allerdes, Allyrdes, Allirdasse, Alerdes, Alerdyce, Alerdice, Alderdice, Alderdyce, Alderdise and many more.

Early Notables of the Alterdyce family

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

Migration of the Alterdyce family to Ireland

Some of the Alterdyce family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Alterdyce family

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and Clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Alterdyce: John Allardice, who landed at Charles Town South Carolina in 1768.