Show ContentsHollings History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Hollings

What does the name Hollings mean?

The present generation of the Hollings family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in the region of Hollingside or Holmside in Durham. Hollin Old Hall is a house in Bollington, Cheshire, England with parts that date back to the 17th century and Hollin Hall is a country house in Crook in Cumbria that dates back to the 14th century.

Literally, the name originated from the expression 'of the hollins head,' as in "one who dwelt at the head of the hollin-bushes." 1

Early Origins of the Hollings family

The surname Hollings was first found in East Cheshire where the area has "given birth to a large number of Hollingsheads from some immediate locality of that name." 1

By example, some of the early records include: John del Holynshede, 1408: East Cheshire; and Hugh Hollinshead, of Bosley, Yeoman, 1541, both recorded there. 1

Early History of the Hollings family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hollings research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1529, 1541, 1546, 1550, 1554, 1556, 1560, 1561, 1573, 1574, 1575, 1577, 1580, 1587, 1612, 1635, 1644, 1683 and 1739 are included under the topic Early Hollings History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hollings Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Hollings include Hollinshed, Holinshed, Hollinshead, Holinshead, Hollingshead, Holingshead, Hollins, Holins, Hollings and many more.

Early Notables of the Hollings family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • He "is said to have been son of Ralph Holinshed or Hollingshed of Cophurst in the township of Sutton Downes, Cheshire, but the pedigree of the Holinsheds or Hollingsheds of Cophurst cannot be traced a...
  • Edmund Hollings (1556?-1612), was an English physician, born in Yorkshire in or about 1556, matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford in 1573, when he was aged 17, and was admitted B.A. on 7 February 15...
  • John Hollings (1683?-1739), was an English physician, born about 1683, was the son of John Hollings, M.D., of Shrewsbury, and formerly fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge. 2


Hollings migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Hollings were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Hollings Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Daniel Hollings traveledto America in 1793
  • Daniel Hollings, who arrived in America in 1793 3
Hollings Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mary and Thomas Hollings and their two children, who settled in New York State in 1820
  • Bejman H Hollings, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1849 3

Hollings migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hollings Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Hollings, a tailor, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Miss Mary Hollings, (b. 1818), aged 23, English house servant who was convicted in London, England for 10 years for theft, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 16th November 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Hollings (post 1700) +

  • Ernest Frederick Hollings (1922-2019), American Democratic Party politician, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, 1955-59; Governor of South Carolina, 1959-63; U.S. Senator from South Carolina, 1966-2005 5
  • Peter Hollings Ph.D., Canadian Associate Professor in the Department of Geology at Lakehead University


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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