Siddenhan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Siddenhan date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in the parish of Sydenham found in the counties of Devon, Oxfordshire and Somerset. 1 2 These place-names were derived from the Old English terms sid meaning wide and hamm meaning water meadow. 3

Siddenhan is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages, as society became more complex, individuals needed a way to be distinguishable from others. Toponymic surnames were developed as a result of this need. Various features in the landscape or area were used to distinguish people from one another. In this case the original bearers of the surname Siddenhan were named due to their close proximity to the wide water meadow.

Early Origins of the Siddenhan family

The surname Siddenhan was first found in Northumberland where Ascelin de Sidenham was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1202. Later, Walter de Sydenham was found in the Feet of Fines for Oxford in 1284 and John Sydenham in the Subsidy Rolls for Somerset in 1327. Later again, Richards Sydenham was recorded in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1384. 4

Early Somerset records show John de Sydenham, 1 Edward; and Simon de Sidenham, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 5

Early History of the Siddenhan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Siddenhan research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1224, 1418, 1429, 1431, 1438, 1615, 1620, 1624, 1628, 1641, 1642, 1643, 1654, 1661, 1669, 1671, 1676, 1679, 1689, 1696 and 1739 are included under the topic Early Siddenhan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Siddenhan Spelling Variations

Siddenhan 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. Many variations of the name Siddenhan have been found, including Sydenham, Sidenham, Sydenhame, Sidenhame and others.

Early Notables of the Siddenhan family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Simon Sydenham (died 1438), medieval Dean of Salisbury (1418-1431) and Bishop of Chichester (1429-1438); Sir John Sydenham, 1st Baronet of Brimpton, Somerset (c. 1620-1643); Sir John Sydenham, 2nd Baronet of Brimpton (1643-1696) Member of Parliament for Somerset (1669-1679); Sir Philip Sydenham, 3rd Baronet of Brimpton (c. 1676-1739) Member of Parliament for Ilchester; Sir Ralph Sydenham (died 1671), an English politician who...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Siddenhan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Siddenhan family

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 Siddenhans to arrive on North American shores: Richard Sidenham, who arrived in Barbados in 1670; Mary Sydenham, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1682; William Sydenham, a servant sent to Virginia in 1674.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.