Alices History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Alices

What does the name Alices mean?

The distinguished surname Alices was first brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is matronymic in origin, deriving from the name of the mother of the original bearer. This name is derived from the Old French personal names "Aalis" or "Aliz," which are diminutives of the Old Germanic "Adalhaidis," meaning "noble person."

Early Origins of the Alices family

The surname Alices was first found in the northeastern counties of England, where it occurred fairly frequently as a personal name in the years immediately following the Norman Conquest. The first known bearer of the surname was Willelmus filius Alis, who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1214.

Early History of the Alices family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alices research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1219, 1221 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Alices History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alices Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Alices were recorded, including Alis, Alise, Allies, Allis, Alliss, Allish, Alais, Hallis and many more.

Early Notables of the Alices family

More information is included under the topic Early Alices Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Alices family to Ireland

Some of the Alices family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 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 Alices family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Alices arrived in North America very early: Richard Allis, who arrived in Boston in 1632; Ellen Alice, who settled in Virginia in 1635; as did Mary Alice in 1650; Joseph Allis, who immigrated to Massachusetts in 1688.

The Alices 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: Vincit veritas
Motto Translation: Truth conquers.