Alden Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Alden Origin:

England

Origins of Alden:

Alden is an old English surname that had evolved originally from the ancient Old English pre 7th Century Ealdwine, which means Old friend and in the Latinized forms as Aldanus. Alden was recorded in the Domesday Book of the year 1086. According to another early recording, even though not as a surname, is that of Gamel filius Alden in the Pipe Rolls of Westmorland in the year 1196. It has developed irrespective of different formations of spellings. The ancient examples of the surname recordings included Osgotus Aldwinus of Berkshire in the year 1196, Alexander Aldeyn of Oxfordshire in the year 1279, and William Audyn of Somerset, in the year 1327. John Alden was one of the settlers who sailed on the ship “Mayflower” in the year 1620. Many of his offsprings were sellers and mariners. One of them being James Alden (1810 – 1877), who completed two tours of the world. A coat of weapons combined with the surname has the blazon of ared shield combined with three crescents within a bordure engrailed ermine. According to the early recordings, the developmental names included Alden, Aldine, Auden, Adin.

Variations:

More common variations of Alden are: Allden, Yalden, Ealden, Aldeen, Aldean, Aldein, Aldeni, Aliden, Aldena, Alduen

England:

The origins of the surname Alden were in Westmorland where people there held a family seat from early times as the king of the castle. The Saxon authority of English history declined after the war of Hasting in the year 1066. French was the language of courts for the next three centuries and in the controls of the Normans. But Saxon surname remained, and the people name first set down in the 11th century when Aldenus held lands in that province. The very first recorded spelling of the family was shown to be that of Aelfwine Aldine, dated 1095, in the medieval Documents from the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. It was during the time of King William II, who was known as “Rufus,” 1087 – 1100. The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation. It came to be known as Poll Tax in England. Surnames all over the country began to develop, with unique and shocking spelling varieties of the original one.

United States:

People of the Alden surname also settled in the United States beginning in the 17 century. Individuals who settled in the 17th Century included John Alden from Essex, the ship’s cooper and an early settler who arrived on Plymouth Rock in the year 1620 from the “Mayflower.” Richard Alden and Edward Alden who landed in Virginia respectively in the years 1620 and 1635. Elizabeth Alden who landed in Massachusetts in the year 1620. Priscilla Mullins Alden, who sailed to Plymouth, Massachusetts in the year 1620.

Settlers who came in the 18th century included William Alden sailed to Edenton, North Caroline in the year 1722. Peter Alden, aged 29, and Peter Alden who was brilliant, arrived in Pennsylvania in the year 1734.

Settlers who arrived in the 19th century included I Alden Je., James Alden and A W Alden arrived in San Francisco, California in the year 1851

Australia:

Some of the Alden people who settled ultimately in Australia in the 19th century included James C. Alden, aged 25, a laborer, arrived in South Australia in the year 1852 aboard the ship “Standard.”

New-Zealand:

The settlement of Alden family also observed in the 19th century, in New-Zealand.The people who arrived in New-Zealand included Matthew Alden, James Alden, and Caroline Alden, who arrived in Auckland, New-Zealand aboard the ship “African” in the year 1860.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Alden: United States 7,483; England 1,726; Canada 377; Sweden 769; Saudi Arabia 308; Jordan 247; Egypt 817; Philippines 1,353; Iraq 3,418; Syria 3,527.

Notable People:

Alvin Alden was an American politician.

Blanche Ray Alden was an American musician and composer.

Chris Alden was an American business person.

Christopher Alden was an American theater director.

Cynthia May Alden was an American writer and reporter.

David Alden was an American film producer.

Ginger Alden was an American artist.

Harold Alden was an American stargazer.

Henry Mills Alden was a famous American writer.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (Hertfordshire, and the Temple, London. By Camden, Clarenceux, Sept. 1607). Gu. three crescents within a bordure engr. erm. Crest—Out of a ducal coronet per pale gu. and sa. a demi lion or.
2) Or, a bat’s wing gu. surmounted of another ar. Crest—Out of a coronet ar. two wings as in the arms.
3) Gu. a mullet ar. betw. three crescents erm. within a bordure engr. of the second. Crest—Out of a ducal coronet or, a demi lion gu.