Holdstock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Holdstock is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the historic county of Yorkshire, where they held a manor at Holdsworth. Actually, "there are two Holdsworths in the West Riding [of Yorkshire]." 1 The family is "from either Holdsworth in Eckington or Holdsworth in Ovenden." 2 Today we cannot locate the place in Eckington, but Holdsworth House is in Ovenden, just outside of Halifax. Holdsworth House was built c. 1598, but was not held by the family.

Early Origins of the Holdstock family

The surname Holdstock was first found in Yorkshire where John de Haldeworth, was the first listed of the family in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The family had many name changes "from Haldeworth or Haldsworth in the 13th century, to Holdsworth or Houldsworth in the 19th [century]." 3

As one might suspect the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 including some of the early spellings: Johannes Haldeworthe, of Leathley; Ricardus de Haldeworthe, of Southowrara; and Johannes de Haleworth, sittor. All held land there at that time. 3

"Holsworthy, [Devon has a] market which is one of great antiquity ; and the chief fair was recorded in the time of Edward I. as having belonged to the ancestors of William Martyn from time immemorial." 4

Early History of the Holdstock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Holdstock research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1374, 1495, 1558, 1583, 1590, 1593, 1595, 1596, 1602, 1613, 1649, 1684 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Holdstock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Holdstock 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 Holdstock 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Holdstock include: Holdsworth, Holesworth, Houlsworth, Holdworth, Houldworth and many more.

Early Notables of the Holdstock family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Holdsworth (1590-1649), English theologian, the youngest son of the Reverend Richard Holdsworth, vicar of Newcastle-on-Tyne, where he was born in 1590. "His father died in 1596, leaving his child to the care of a son-in-law, the Rev. William Pearson or Pierson, who was curate and lecturer in the parish church of Newcastle." 5Daniel Halsworth or Holdsworth (1558?-1595?)...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Holdstock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Holdstock 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 Holdstock or a variant listed above: Seth Holdsworth, who settled in Barbados in 1675, and Scholas Houldsworth, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1856.

Contemporary Notables of the name Holdstock (post 1700) +

Richard S. Holdstock, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1972 6
Roy Gordon Holdstock (b. 1955), English former rugby league player, member of the England (1980-1981) and the Great Britain (1980) National Teams
Robert Paul Holdstock (1948-2009), English novelist, known for his works of Celtic, Nordic, Gothic and Pictish fantasy literature
Adrian Holdstock (b. 1970), South African cricketer and umpire
Pauline Holdstock (b. 1948), English-born, Canadian essayist and writer of historical fiction; her 1987 novel The Blackbird's Song was nominated for the Books in Canada First Novel Award

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html