Olgate History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The present generation of the Olgate 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 Holdgate, a parish, in the union of Ludlow, hundred of Munslow, in Shropshire. 1

Alternatively, the name could have originated in Holgate, a township, in the parish of St. MaryBishopshill-Junior, union of York, E. division of the Ainsty wapentake, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 2

Early Origins of the Olgate family

The surname Olgate was first found in Shropshire at Holdgate, Stanton Holdgate or Castle Holdgate, collectively a small village which dates back to 1185 when it was listed as Castellum Hologoti and literally meant "castle of a man called Helgot," from an Old French personal name + the Latin castellum. 3

Alternatively, the place name could have come from the Old English word "hol" meaning "hollow" or "sunken" and the Old Norse "gata" or "road." 2

Holdgate (Holgate) Castle situated in the village of Holdgate, Shropshire was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. It was an 11th century earthwork motte and bailey fortress founded by Helgot de Reisolent. Ruins of the castle are still found there today. 4

Another source sums up the Shropshire versus Yorkshire question thusly: "the name of Holgate probably has its home in the West Biding, where it is now also established, and where the township of Holgate occurs. There is also a Shropshire parish of the name." 5

The first record of the family was found in Yorkshire where John de Holegate was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1200. Again in Yorkshire, Gommer de Holgate was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1343. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed William de Holgate, or Holdegate, or Holegale, Lincolnshire; and Walter de Hollegate, Lincolnshire. 6

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Alicia Haldegate; Nicholaus Holgate; and 'Willelmus Holgate' resident in 'Acorn cum Holgate.' 6

Thomas atte Halle-yat, was listed in the Freemen of York, 11 Edward III (during the eleventh year of King Edward III's reign.)

In Somerset, Nicholas atte Halleghet was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 7

Early History of the Olgate family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Olgate research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1481, 1524, 1525, 1537, 1545, 1549, 1554 and 1555 are included under the topic Early Olgate History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Olgate 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 Olgate include Holgate, Holdgate, Howgate, Hogate and others.

Early Notables of the Olgate family

Notables of the family at this time include

Robert Holgate or Holdegate (c. 1481-1555), English Bishop of Llandaff and then Archbishop of York (1545-1554.) He recognized Henry VIII as head of the Church of England...

Olgate 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 Olgate were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Olgate Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Grevar Gaeome Olgate, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1802 8
Peter R Olgate, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 8

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
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)