Olmen History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEtymology of OlmenWhat does the name Olmen mean? The origins of the Olmen surname date from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name originated with an early member who was a holy man, typically a priest or friar. 1 The surname Olmen originally derived from the Old English word Hol or Hool. Another reference claims the name was derived from the Old English words "holh" + "mann" and literally meant "dweller by a hollow." 2 And another source claims the name was "a contraction of Holyman; but is more likely to be "whole man," a man of sterling mettle. It must be recollected that in medieval English whole was spelt without the w, and the commonest form of this name in the XIV. and XV. cent. is Holeman." 3 Early Origins of the Olmen familyThe surname Olmen was first found in Essex, where one of the first records of the name was John Holman, Holeman who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. 2 A search through the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved to be fruitful: Walter Halloman, Lincolnshire; and William Holyman, Lincolnshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included entries for Adam Holman, marchautit; and Thomas Halman. 1 The source, Feodarium Prioratus Dunelmensis (Surtees Society included an entry for Robert Halyman, Yorkshire, but no date was provided. And the Calendar of Proceedings in Chancery, temp. Elizabeth I., included an entry for Digorie Holman, temp. Elizabeth. 1 All of the aforementioned held lands in their respective shires. Early History of the Olmen familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Olmen research. Another 150 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1307, 1531, 1582, 1593, 1628, 1633, 1638, 1659, 1661, 1669, 1685, 1700 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Olmen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Olmen Spelling VariationsThe English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Olmen has been recorded under many different variations, including Holman, Hollman, Holeman and others. Early Notables of the Olmen familyNotables of the family at this time include Philip Holman (c. 1593-1669), an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659, High Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1638; Philip Holman, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1633; and Sir... Migration of the Olmen family to IrelandSome of the Olmen 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 Olmen familyFor many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Olmen or a variant listed above: John Holman, who settled in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1630; William Holman settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1630; Edward Holman settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1632.
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