England
IrelandThe history of the name Oldbridge dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from a member of the family who worked as a the Old English personal name Aldrich, meaning old ruler, and refers to "a son of Aldrich." [1]
Another source has a different approach to the origin of the name. "These surnames may be local in origin, but usually derive from Old English Ælfric 'elf-ruler' or Æðelric 'noble ruler'. Both survived the Conquest, by which time the first element had often been reduced to Al- or El- and consequently cannot be distinguished. A common post-Conquest form of Æðelric was Ailric or Eilric." [2]
The surname Oldbridge was first found in the counties of Sussex, Suffolk, and Surrey, where the Oldbridge family held a family seat from very early times. The family had the Saxon spellings of Alderich, Ealdric, or possibly Aelfric before the Conquest.
Aldridge is a town in Staffordshire (now the West Midlands) that dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Alrewic and literally means "dwelling or farm among alders" having derived from the Old English word alor + wic. [3]
The parish was originally in the union of Walsall, in the hundred of Offlow, comprised 7,752 acres and was anciently held by Robert, a tenant of William fitzAnsculf and was worth 15 shillings. [4]
In Somerset, William Ailrich was listed there, 1 Edward III (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) [5]
In London, the Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium in Turri Londinensi (1201-1483) lists John filius Aldrech. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include John Aldrich in Cambridgeshire and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include a listing for Robertus Aldrech. [1] John Aldryche was Bailiff of Yarmouth in 1469. [6]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oldbridge research. Another 34 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1647, 1710, 1681, 1687, 1688, 1689, 1566, 1507, 1511 and 1515 are included under the topic Early Oldbridge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Oldbridge has undergone many spelling variations, including Aldridge, Aldrich, Alderich, Alderidge, Eldrich, Elderidge, Elderich and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include Henry Aldrich (1647-1710), an English theologian, philosopher and architect who designed All Saints Church, Oxford. "In February 1681, he became canon of Christ Church, and in the following March B.D. and D.D. In 1687 and 1688 he wrote two tracts against Obadiah Walker in defence of Anglican principles; and upon the flight of Massey, the Roman Catholic dean of Christ Church under James II, the vacant deanery was bestowed upon Aldrich. He was installed 17 June 1689, and held the office with much distinction for the rest of his life. " [7]
Robert Aldrich or Aldridge...
Another 132 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Oldbridge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Oldbridge family to IrelandSome of the Oldbridge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Oldbridge were among those contributors: George Aldrich who settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1639; Henry Aldrich, who came to Dedham in 1645; George Aldrich, who arrived in Swansea in 1659.
