The chronicles of the Oldenstume family show that the name was first used in the Scottish/English Borderlands by the Strathclyde-
Britons. It was a name for a person who lived in
Cumberland. Alternatively, the name could have been from the Old Norse, Hallstein; from the
Flemish, Alsteens and appeared in the
Domesday Book of 1086 as Alstan, Alestan; a
personal name.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print. In England, the name was derived from "als-ton, the hill by the sea-shore," [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print. and as Alston(e) appears as at least five different parishes or townships.
Early Origins of the Oldenstume family
The surname Oldenstume was first found in
Cumberland, where they held the manor of Aldanstone. One of the first records of the name was "Jurdan de Aldanston [who] was juror on an inquisition held at Berwick on the lands of Lady Elena de la Zuche lying in the sheriffdom of Edinburgh, 1296."
[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3) In the same year, Andreu de Haldanstone of Edinburghshire rendered homage to King Edward I after his conquest of Scotland. In the same century, the name had often been shortened to Alston, and in some cases lengthened to Haldanston. The Scottish branch at Craig Head in Lanarkshire and at Westerton in Dumbartonshire also assumed the spelling of Auldston and Alstounes.
Early History of the Oldenstume family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oldenstume research.
Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1667, 1684, 1687, 1681, 1905 and 1683 are included under the topic Early Oldenstume History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Oldenstume Spelling Variations
The origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different
spelling variations in a single document. Oldenstume has been spelled Aldanston, Alston, Auldston, Alstounes, Alstone, Alstowne, Aldenston and many more.
Early Notables of the Oldenstume family (pre 1700)
Notable amongst the family at this time was Charles Alston (1683-160), a Scottish scientific writer, born at Eddlewood, and educated at Glasgow. "On his father's death...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Oldenstume Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Oldenstume family to Ireland
Some of the Oldenstume family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in
Ireland is included in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Oldenstume family to the New World and Oceana
The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American
War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them: Samuel and William Alston settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767; John Alston settled in Barbados in 1685; Rose Alston settled in New
England in 1661. In Newfoundland, John Alston an immigrant from Liverpool, was married in St. John's in 1858..
The Oldenstume 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: Immotus
Motto Translation: Immoveable.
Oldenstume Family Crest Products
Related Stories
Citations
- ^ Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- ^ Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
- ^ Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)