1. ORIGINS
Nisbet,
in his System of Heraldry (vol. 1, p. 45), speaks of: "Alsyndure
(i.e., Alexander) de Allardyss, i.e. Allardyce of that ilk, an ancient family in
the shire of Kincardine. They got a
charter of the lands of Alrethes from King William (William I of Scotland,
1165-1214) since called Allardyce from whence is the surname; from this time
there is a series of writs in the hands of the laird of Allardyce. He is heir of line of the Earls of Airth and Montieth." Black, The
Surnames of Scotland, pp. 19, 28: "Allardyce, Allardice, Allardes; of territorial origin from the old Barony of Allardyce in the parish of Arbuthnott, Kincardineshire." "It
is not a very common name, but all who hold it believe in their descent from the
old family which was settled for so long a period on the banks of the Bervie
Water." (quoting The Genealogical Magazine, vol.7, p. 296 (1903)) "Estate
sold in 1872 and now forms part of the Arbuthnott estate." "Among
the old people of the locality the name is pronounced ‘Airdis’." "Allardes
1543, Allerdash 1296, Allerdes 1481, Allirdasse 1415, Allyrdes 1496, Alyrdes
1443. Other forms are Alerdes,
Alerdyce, Alerdice, Alirdes, and Allerdais. It has become Alderdice in Antrim and Armagh (in Ireland). Peter, Baronage
of Angus and Mearns, pp. 4-5: "The family of Allardice is so ancient that no one knows when they first acquired the estate. Their first charter is one of confirmation by William the Lion to the then possessor of the lands of 'Alrethes.' This is said to be the oldest charter of land now existing in Scotland."
|
