Show ContentsAddland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Addland

What does the name Addland mean?

The ancient name of Addland finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from a name for a soldier. The surname Addland literally means noble protector. The name was derived from the Old English adel helm which literally means "eagle shield." 1

Another source claims the name was "from adel, meaning fine, noble, and ham, meaning a village or castle. " 2

Early Origins of the Addland family

The surname Addland was first found in the county of Somerset in south western England where, it is said the family had been settled centuries before the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Addland family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Addland research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1631, 1659, 1677, 1750 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Addland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Addland 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 Addland family name include Headlam, Adhelm, Eadhelm, Adelhelm, Addlam, Adlum, Adlam and many more.

Early Notables of the Addland family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Captain W. Adlam, who fought with the "Roundheads" (Parliamentarians) during the English Civil War of the 17th century; and Captain S. Adlam, who fought in the French wars in Canada. Richard Edlin or...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Addland Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Addland family to Ireland

Some of the Addland 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 Addland family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, 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 Addland surname or a spelling variation of the name include : John Adlam who arrived at Nevis in 1670. John Adlum (1759-1836), was a major in the American Provisional Army during the American Revolutionary War, and later a Brigadier General in the Pennsylvania militia.



  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print


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