Eadhelm History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Eadhelm finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxons of England. It was given to one who worked as a soldier. The surname Eadhelm 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 Eadhelm family

The surname Eadhelm 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 Eadhelm family

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

Eadhelm Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Eadhelm has been recorded under many different variations, including Headlam, Adhelm, Eadhelm, Adelhelm, Addlam, Adlum, Adlam and many more.

Early Notables of the Eadhelm 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 Eadhelm Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Eadhelm family to Ireland

Some of the Eadhelm 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 Eadhelm family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Eadhelm or a variant listed above: 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.

Citations +

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