The distinguished surname Alliss 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 Alliss family
The surname Alliss 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 Alliss family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alliss research.
Another 235 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1219, 1221, and 1273 are included under the topic Early Alliss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Alliss Spelling Variations
Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of
spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Alis, Alise, Allies, Allis, Alliss, Allish, Alais, Hallis and many more.
Early Notables of the Alliss family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Alliss Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Alliss family to Ireland
Some of the Alliss family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 143 words (10 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 Alliss family to the New World and Oceana
Because of the political and religious discontent in
England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Alliss name or one of its variants: 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.
Contemporary Notables of the name Alliss (post 1700)
- Peter Alliss, son of Percy, another well-known British golf professional
- Percy Alliss, well-known British golf professional
The Alliss 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.