Saltmerch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Saltmerch is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the township of Saltmarsh which was in the parish of Howden in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Saltmerch is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages people were very conscious of the variations in their surroundings including the soil types. In this case the original bearers of the surname Saltmerch were named due to their close proximity to a salt marsh.

Early Origins of the Saltmerch family

The surname Saltmerch was first found in Yorkshire where the first record of the name was William Saltmarsh, Latinized De Salso Marisco, witnessed a grant of Richard Strongbow in the 12th century. Sir Richard Saltmarsh was one of the knights of that shire 17. Edward II. 1

Saltmarsh is a township, in the parish and union of Howden, wapentake of Howdenshire, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. "The Hall is a handsome stone mansion, with a well-wooded lawn and pleasure-grounds, the seat of the Saltmarsh family." 2

Early History of the Saltmerch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Saltmerch research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1639, 1646 and 1647 are included under the topic Early Saltmerch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saltmerch Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Saltmerch are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Saltmerch include: Saltmarsh, Saltmarshe and others.

Early Notables of the Saltmerch family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Saltmarsh (d. 1647), English mystical writer, of an old Yorkshire family, and a native of Yorkshire. Leaving the university, he became (about 1639) rector of Heslerton, Yorkshire. In 1646 Saltmarsh became an army chaplain, attached to the fortunes of Sir Thomas Fairfax. "On Saturday, 4 Dec. 1647, rousing himself from what he deemed a trance, he left his abode at Caystreet, near Great Ilford, Essex, and...
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Saltmerch Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Saltmerch family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Saltmerch or a variant listed above: Thomas Saltmarsh who was banished to Barbados in 1685.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.