Olleymore History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the Olleymore family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Gloucestershire. Their name, however, is of Norman derivation, and refers to the proximity of their former place of residence to the sea. Olleymore is a latter variation of the earlier local surname de la Mare, which literally translates as of the sea, or from the sea. Another source claims the name originated from the "ancient Forest of Delamere, foresta de la Mare," and literally meant "forest of the lake." 1

Early Origins of the Olleymore family

The surname Olleymore was first found in Gloucestershire where Guillaume (William) de La Mare was a tenant in Chief of lands in both this county and in Herefordshire. He also held lands in 1086 A.D. in Wiltshire and Hertfordshire as a sub tenant under the name William de La Mare. 2 He held many lordships. He came from Lamare at St. Opportune in the arrondisement of Pont Audemer in Normandy where his castle was built on piles on the border of the lake. 3

He was sometimes called William FitzNorman and was the scion of that family name. Marsh Baldon in Oxfordshire was an ancient family seat. "This parish, originally called Meres or Mars and ultimately Marsh Baldon, derives its distinguishing name from one De la Mare, a descendant of whom was patron of the living in 1381. " 4

William de La Mare (fl. 1272-1279) was an English Franciscan theologian who is known to have preached in Lincoln.

Sir John Delamare (c. 1320-1383), was an English knight at the court of King Edward III. He was granted permission to turn his manor house at Nunney into Nunney Castle in 1373. He served as High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1374 and later High Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset in 1377. His niece Eleanor Delamere, who inherited his estates died in 1413 and those estates were passed on to William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester. 5

Sir Peter De la Mere (fl. 1370), was "Speaker of the House of Commons, was Mesne Lord of the Manor of Yatton in Herefordshire, and was Seneschal of the Earl of March, who held the manor in capite. He was elected knight of the shire for his county in the parliament which met in April 1376, and which, from the popularity acquired by its attempts to reform abuses, went by the name of the Good parliament, and was chosen Speaker of the Commons." 5

As one would imagine, early rolls show a wide variety of spellings: Coleman de Lamora in Northumberland 1135-1185; Robert de la Mare, at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1190; William de la Mere in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1260; Henry Dalamare, a Freeman of York in 1385; Thomas Dallamour another Freeman of York in 1732; and John Dallamore, a Freeman of York in 1733. 6

Early History of the Olleymore family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Olleymore research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1285, 1294, 1320, 1372, 1373, 1376, 1383, 1387, 1408, 1685 and 1857 are included under the topic Early Olleymore History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Olleymore Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Delamere, Delamare, DeleMere, DelaMare, Delemare, Delamare, Delamere, Delemare, DeLaMar, DeLaMarre, DeLaMaior, FitzNorman, Fitznorman, Delamore, Dalamaire, Delamar, Delamare, Delmore, Lamere, MacHerbert and many more.

Early Notables of the Olleymore family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William De La Mare (died c.1285), English Franciscan theologian; Sir Peter de la Mare (died c. 1387), High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1372, best remembered as the Presiding Officer of the House of Commons during the Good Parliament of 1376; and Sir John Delamare (c...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Olleymore Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Olleymore family to Ireland

Some of the Olleymore family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Olleymore family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Olleymore or a variant listed above: Joseph Delamore who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1821; G. Delamare settled in New Orleans La. in 1822; John Delamaire settled in Maryland in 1674.

Citations +

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)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)