Holmes Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Holmes Family History

Holmes Family History

The Holmes ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Holmes is a locality name meaning 'of the river sands', from a person who lived nearby. Variants include Holm, Holme, Holms, Home and Homes. This name is of Celtic origin and is found throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in these countries. Examples of such are a Goscelin de Holme who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273. A Johannes Holmys, of Ayr, Scotland, derived his name from the lands of Holmes near Dundonald in Kyle Stewart. A Thomas del Holme was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire in the year 1379.

In Ireland this name and its variants were introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. During the 'Plantations of Ireland' in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Ireland was colonized by the English Crown with this period marking the end of Gaelic supremacy in Ireland. This period brought an influx of settlers into the country but, unlike the earlier Anglo-Norman invasion of the twelfth century that resulted in a full integration into Irish society of the new arrivals, the same never occurred with the Ulster Planters who maintained their own distinct identity.

It can also be found as a variant of the names Cavish and Thompson. The Holmes family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Holmes descendants.