An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2015
Where did the English Slade family come from? What is the English Slade family crest and coat of arms? When did the Slade family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Slade family history?The Slade history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Slade history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Slade family originally lived in Cornwall. Their name, however, is derived from the Old English word slaed, meaning valley, and indicates that the original bearer of the name lived in a valley.
Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Slade, Slader and others.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Slade research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Slade History in all our PDF Extended History products.
More information is included under the topic Early Slade Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.
Some of the Slade family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products.
Early records show that people bearing the name Slade arrived in North America quite early:
Slade Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Slade Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Slade Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Slade Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Slade Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
Slade Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Slade Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Fidus et audax
Motto Translation: Faithful and bold.
The Slade Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Slade Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.
This page was last modified on 2 August 2015 at 06:33.