This very interesting surname with variant spellings Oldacre and Oldaker is of English topographical origin for one who lived by the old ploughed field, from the Old English elements "eald", old (Medieval English "old"), and "aecer", arable field, plus the patronymic ending "-s", which is the shortened form of "-son", son of, hence son of "Oldacre", the dweller by the plonghed field. The surname first appears in the early 13th Century, (see below). The London Church Registers record the marriage of one Alce Ouldaker to Richard Allsop on May 4th 1641 at Saint John, Hackney, while one William Oldakers married Mary Porter at St. Katherine by the Tower, on February 8th 1684. Thomas Oldacres, son of Thomas and Sarah Oldacres was christened on February 26th 1692, at St. Martin in the Fields, westminster, London. One Robert Oldacher married Sarah Wheabley on January 24th 1753 at St. George, Mayfair, Westminster, London. William Holdacre married Elizabeth Heas at St. Botolph without Aldersgate, London on March 28th 1805. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Helyas de Aldeacris, which was dated 1231, Cartularium Prioratus de Gyseburne, Yorkshire, during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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