Auldon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Auldon surname lived in an enclosed place. The surname Auldon literally means dweller at the old enclosure or dwelling.

Early Origins of the Auldon family

The surname Auldon was first found in Essex, Suffolk and Yorkshire at Aldham. In all cases, the place name meant "the old homestead," or "homestead of a man called Ealda," from the Old English personal name + "ham." 1

Aldham, Essex and Aldham, Suffolk were both listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 and both were listed under the same spelling, Aldeham. 2

Another branch of the family was found at Elford in Staffordshire. "Before the Conquest the manor [of Elford] belonged to Earl Algar, and in the reign of Henry III. was held by William de Alderne, whose descendants continued to enjoy it until the marriage of the heiress of Sir John Alderney with the Stanleys, when the property passed to that family." 3

Aldhelm (640?-709), was Bishop of Sherborne, the son of Kenten. "Aldhelm was no less great as a builder than as a scholar. He built a church dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul to be the head church of his monastery. He also built two other churches at Malmesbury. One of these, St. Mary's, succeeded St. Peter's as the chief church in the tenth century. " 4

Early History of the Auldon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Auldon research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1652 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Auldon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Auldon Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Auldon are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Auldon include: Aldham, Aldam, Aldem, Aldum, Aldeham, Aldom, Eldham, Eldam, Eldum, Haldiman and many more.

Early Notables of the Auldon family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Aldham or Aldam (c. 1616-1660), an English Quaker who was imprisoned in York in 1652 for speaking in a "steeple-house" (church), and fined 40 shillings for refusing to pay...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Auldon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Auldon family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Auldon or a variant listed above: Daniel Aldam aged 27 who settled in Maryland in 1775.

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)
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