Holtum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Holtum is a name whose history is connected to the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Holtum family once lived in one of the settlements called Holton in the counties of Dorset, Suffolk and Somerset. The surname Holtum belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Holtum family

The surname Holtum was first found in the Isle of Wight where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

The family later settled in Wiltshire in the reign of James I (1567-1625) and held Farley Castle there at that time. Rev. Robert Houlton of Milton, Clevedon, Somerset, the promoter of the Suttonian method of variolation was a descendant of this line.

Early History of the Holtum family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Holtum research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1696, 1700, 1720 and 1724 are included under the topic Early Holtum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Holtum Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Holtum family name include Houlton, Holton and others.

Early Notables of the Holtum family

Notables of the family at this time include Jospeh Houlton Esq., of Trowbridge, (died 1720) High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1696, her purchased from the Hungerford family in 1700...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Holtum Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Holtum family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Holtum surname or a spelling variation of the name include: John Holton settled in Virginia in 1635; along with Bartholomew; William Holton settled in Cambridge Mass in 1630; John and George Holton settled in Maryland in 1774..

The Holtum 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: Semper fidelis
Motto Translation: Always faithful.