Show ContentsHoultham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Houltham name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in one of the settlements called Holton in the counties of Dorset, Suffolk and Somerset. The surname Houltham belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Houltham family

The surname Houltham was first found in the Isle of Wight where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

The family later settled in Wiltshire in the reign of James I (1567-1625) and held Farley Castle there at that time. Rev. Robert Houlton of Milton, Clevedon, Somerset, the promoter of the Suttonian method of variolation was a descendant of this line.

Early History of the Houltham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Houltham research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1696, 1700, 1720 and 1724 are included under the topic Early Houltham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Houltham 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 Houltham were recorded, including Houlton, Holton and others.

Early Notables of the Houltham family

Notables of the family at this time include Jospeh Houlton Esq., of Trowbridge, (died 1720) High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1696, her purchased from the Hungerford family in 1700...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Houltham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


New Zealand Houltham migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Houltham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Elijah Houltham, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 24th June 1854 1
  • Mr. Charles Houltham, (b. 1836), aged 28, British malster travelling aboard the ship "Amoor" arriving in Lyttleton, South Island, New Zealand on 1st July 1864 1


The Houltham Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Semper fidelis
Motto Translation: Always faithful.


  1. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook