Houlder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The Anglo-Saxon name Houlder comes from the family having resided as tenants or occupiers of land. The surname Houlder originally derived from the Old English word Haldan. 1 Conversely, another source claims that the name was derived from the Old English word "h(e)aldan," meaning "to guard or keep." It is thought to have been an occupational name for a keeper of animals, but may also have been used in the sense of a holder of land within the Feudal System. 2

Early Origins of the Houlder family

The surname Houlder was first found in Gloucestershire and other counties and shires in Britain. One of the first records of the name was Robert le Holdere who was listed in Gloucestershire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 1 2 The same rolls list Robert Holdere in Norfolk and Robert le Holdere in Cambridgeshire. 2

Early History of the Houlder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Houlder research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1631, 1633, 1640, 1642, 1643, 1676 and 1698 are included under the topic Early Houlder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Houlder Spelling Variations

Houlder has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Holder, Holdere, Holders and others.

Early Notables of the Houlder family

Distinguished members of the family include Christopher Holder (c. 1631-1676), an English Quaker minister from Gloucestershire who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony but was still persecuted for his beliefs before moving to Rhode Island.William Holder (1616-1698), was an English divine, born in Nottinghamshire in 1616. He...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Houlder Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Houlder migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Houlders to arrive on North American shores:

Houlder Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Nathaniel Houlder, who landed in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1636 3
Christopher Houlder, who arrived in Maryland in 1663 3

Houlder migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Houlder Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Houlder, British convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "England" on 6th June 1835, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Houlder (post 1700) +

Christophe-Howard Houlder, architect in London

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england