Houldsyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestry of the name Houldsyn dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the county of Lancashire, where they held the estate of Holden in the parish of Haslingden.

Early Origins of the Houldsyn family

The surname Houldsyn was first found in Lancashire where "Holden was an estate in the parish of Haslingden. A family of that name early sprang from the place." 1.

"Lancashire is the great home of the Holdens. The ancient gentle family of the Holdens, of Holden, Haslingden, dates back to the 13th century; from it there branched off in the 16th century the Holdens of Todd Hall in the same parish. The Holdens of Ewood, Livesey, date back to the reign of Henry VIII. The Holdens of Aston, Derbyshire, who go back to the beginning of the 17th century, may hail from the Lancashire stock." 2

Other early records include: Robert de Holden, Lancashire, listed there during the reign of Henry III; and Magota de Holdene who was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls. The Wills at Chester list the following: Oliver Holden, of Haslingden, Lincolnshire in 1588; Adam Holden, of Spotland, Lancashire in 1596; and Catherine Holden, of Holden in 1685. The Preston Guild Rolls of 1642 list Ralph Holden de Holden. 1

Early History of the Houldsyn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Houldsyn research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1285, 1539, 1571, 1578, 1580, 1583, 1596, 1599, 1618, 1623, 1662, 1710, 1778 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Houldsyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Houldsyn Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Houldsyn have been found, including Holden, Holdin, Holding, Houlden, Houldin, Howlin and many more.

Early Notables of the Houldsyn family

Notables of the family at this time include Henry Holden (1596-1662), an English Roman Catholic priest and author. "He was the son of Richard Holden, owner of a small estate at Chaigley, near Clitheroe, on the northern slope of Longridge Fell. He was born in 1596, and on 18 September 1618 he went to Douay, taking there the name of Johnson, and in 1623...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Houldsyn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Houldsyn family to Ireland

Some of the Houldsyn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 121 words (9 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 Houldsyn family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Houldsyn, or a variant listed above: Randall Holden, who came to Rhode Island in 1630; Justinian Holden, who settled in New England in 1634; John Holden, who arrived in Virginia in 1637; Joane Holden, who came to Virginia in 1652.

The Houldsyn 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: Nec temere nec timide
Motto Translation: Neither rashly nor timidly.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.