| ![Show Contents]() Alice History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of AliceWhat does the name Alice mean? The distinguished surname Alice was first brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is matronymic in origin, deriving from the name of the mother of the original bearer. This name is derived from the Old French personal names "Aalis" or "Aliz," which are diminutives of the Old Germanic "Adalhaidis," meaning "noble person." Early Origins of the Alice familyThe surname Alice was first found in the northeastern counties of England, where it occurred fairly frequently as a personal name in the years immediately following the Norman Conquest. The first known bearer of the surname was Willelmus filius Alis, who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1214. Early History of the Alice familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alice research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1219, 1221 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Alice History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Alice Spelling VariationsBefore the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Alice were recorded, including Alis, Alise, Allies, Allis, Alliss, Allish, Alais, Hallis and many more. Early Notables of the Alice familyMore information is included under the topic Early Alice Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Alice family to IrelandSome of the Alice family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Alice migration to the United States | + |
The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Alice arrived in North America very early:
Alice Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Ellen Alice, who landed in Virginia in 1637 1
- Tho Alice, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 1
- Mr. Alice, who landed in Virginia in 1655 1
- Edward Alice, who arrived in Maryland in 1668 1
- Mary Alice, who landed in Maryland in 1668 1
Alice Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- George Alice, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1816 1
- Frederick Alice, aged 22, who arrived in New York in 1854 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Alice (post 1700) | + |
- Eudora Alice Welty (1909-2001), American novelist who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980 and the French Légion d’Honneur in 1996
- Jane Alice Peters (1908-1942), birth name of Carole Lombard, American actress and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Odessa Alice Lawrence (1924-2015), née Brake, American private in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
- Virginia Alice Blake (1899-1964), née Branch, American private in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
- Ellen Alice Britton M.B.E. (1874-1959), British nursery gardener who was an insect collector in Argentina from c. 1899-1909
- Thelma Alice Todd (1906-1935), American actress and businesswoman, nicknamed "The Ice Cream Blonde" and "Hot Toddy" who appeared in over 120 feature films and shorts between 1926 and 1935, best known for her comedic roles with Marx Brothers, Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante
- Letitia Alice Walkington (1857-1918), Anglo-Irish lawyer, the first woman to graduate with a degree of Bachelor of Laws in Great Britain or Ireland
- Jocelyn Alice Wildenstein (1940-1945), née Jocelyne Périsset, Swiss socialite
- Caroline Alice Lejeune (1897-1973), British writer, best known for serving as the film critic for The Observer from 1928 to 1960
- Francette Alice Lazard (1937-2023), French teacher and politician of the French Communist Party (PCF)
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: Vincit veritas
Motto Translation: Truth conquers.
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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