Recorded in a number of diverse spellings as shown below, this surname is English. It has two possible origins. The first may be locational from a place such as Aldridge in Staffordshire or Aldridge Grove in Buckinghamshire, whilst the second and most likely, is from the pre 7th century personal name Aedelric. This was a compound name translating as "noble ruler", a meaning which no doubt aided its popularity. However given the lack of education and the seriously different local accents, "names" underwent some extraordinary changes as people moved about. However spelt the name was first recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 as Ailred, Aldret and Eldred, with the surname being some two centuries later in the 13th Century (see below). These early recordings included Richardus Alurici of Warwickshire in the year 1209; Robert Alrych of Huntingdonshire in 1279, and William Eldrich of Surrey in 1336. The modern spellings of the surname include such diverse forms as Aldrich, Aldrick, Aldridge, Alldridge, Allderidge, Elderidge, Eldridge, Elrick, Oldridge and even Oldred, Ouldred and Oldrey. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Geoffrey Aldred. This was dated 1275, in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire, during the reign of King Edward 1st of England, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes 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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