Show ContentsOlterham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Olterham

What does the name Olterham mean?

The name Olterham is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was given to a person who was a duke, magistrate, or chief. 1

Early Origins of the Olterham family

The surname Olterham was first found in Lincolnshire in eastern England. One of the first records of the family was Jukel Alderman, Sheriff of London, 1194 and this may the same Jacob Alderman, who was Sheriff of London, 1199. 2 James Alderman was Lord Mayor of London in 1216. And the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Robert le Alderman, Norfolk. 2

Early records of the name mention Adam de Alderman, 1200, London. John Alderman was documented in County Sussex, in the year 1175. Jukel Alderman was the Sheriff of London in the year 1194 as was Jacob Alderman in 1194. In the year 1273 Aldermann' de Bretford was recorded in the County of Sussex.

In the same year Robert le Alderman was registered in the County of Norfolk and Benjamin Aldermannus in the County of Sussex. Thomas Alderman, was the rector of St. Buttolph, Norwich, in the year 1388. 3

Early History of the Olterham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Olterham research. Another 32 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1194 and 1691 are included under the topic Early Olterham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Olterham Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Olterham family name include Aldreman, Alderman, Elderman, Aelderman and others.

Early Notables of the Olterham family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Olterham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Olterham family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Olterham or a variant listed above: Grace Alderman, who arrived at the age of 22 in Virginia in 1635, soon after the Plymouth settlement; and Peter Alderman, aged 32 arrived in Boston in 1820.



The Olterham 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 Floreat
Motto Translation: May it always flourish


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook