This old-established surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from the hamlet of Alport, near Rowsley in Derbyshire. Recorded as "Aldeport" in the Hundred Rolls of that county, dated 1279, the component elements of the placename are the Olde English pre 7th Century "alde", old, with "port", port, market town, ultimately from the Latin "portus". Locational surnames, such as this, were originally given to local landowners, and the lord of the manor, and especially as a means of identification to those who left their birthplace to settle elsewhere. On June 22nd 1572, Elnor Alport and John Taylor were married in Walsall, Staffordshire, and on November 28th 1648, Clemman, son of Robert Allport was christened at St. Peter's, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. One of the earliest recordings of Allport from Derbyshire Church Registers is the marriage of William Allport to Sarah Bradley at Atlow, on March 19th 1775. A notable bearer of the name was Sir James Joseph Allport (1811 - 1192), general manager of the Midland railway, 1853 - 1857, and managing director of Palmer's Shipbuilding Company, Jarrow, 1857 - 1860. Under his direction the Midland railway grew into one of the chief English railway systems. A Coat of Arms granted to the family is a shield with a barry wavy of eight, silver and azure, on a red bend three gold mullets, the Crest being a demi lion rampant erminois collared with a red mural crown. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Alport, which was dated February 10th 1560, marriage to Elizabeth Jukes, at Sedgley, Staffordshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.