Sydenham History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancient history of the Sydenham name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in the parish of Sydenham found in the counties of Devon, Oxfordshire and Somerset. These place-names were derived from the Old English terms sid meaning wide and hamm meaning water meadow. Sydenham 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, as society became more complex, individuals needed a way to be distinguishable from others. Toponymic surnames were developed as a result of this need. Various features in the landscape or area were used to distinguish people from one another. In this case the original bearers of the surname Sydenham were named due to their close proximity to the wide water meadow. Early Origins of the Sydenham familyThe surname Sydenham was first found in Somerset where they held a family seat as Lords of Sydenham from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Sydenham familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sydenham research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1224, 1418, 1429, 1431, 1438, 1615, 1620, 1624, 1641, 1642, 1643, 1654, 1661, 1669, 1671, 1676, 1679, 1689, 1696 and 1739 are included under the topic Early Sydenham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Sydenham Spelling VariationsUntil quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Sydenham include Sydenham, Sidenham, Sydenhame, Sidenhame and others. Early Notables of the Sydenham familyNotables of this surname at this time include:
Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Sydenham or a variant listed above: Sydenham Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Sydenham Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Sydenham Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Sydenham Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Sydenham Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Sydenham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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