Holken is a name whose history is entwined with the ancient
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name for a
holy man who was a priest or friar. The surname Holken originally derived from the Old English word
Hol or Hool. Another reference claims the name was derived from the Old English words "holh" + "mann" and literally meant "dweller by a hollow."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X) Early Origins of the Holken family
The surname Holken was first found in
Essex where one of the first records of the name was John Holman, Holeman who was listed in the
Subsidy Rolls of 1327.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Early History of the Holken family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Holken research.
Another 179 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1307, 1593, 1669, 1659, 1638, 1633, 1633, 1700, 1661 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Holken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Holken Spelling Variations
Before the last few
hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason,
spelling variations are commonly found in early
Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Holken were recorded, including Holman, Hollman, Holeman and others.
Early Notables of the Holken family (pre 1700)
Notables of the family at this time include Philip Holman
(c. 1593-1669), an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659,
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire in...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Holken Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Holken family to Ireland
Some of the Holken family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 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 Holken family to the New World and Oceana
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from
England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Holken family emigrate to North America: John Holman, who settled in Nantasket Massachusetts in 1630; William Holman settled in Cambridge Mass in 1630; Edward Holman settled in Boston in 1632.