Cherry Holme

This is an English double barrelled surname. It probably dates from the19th century, although such research is outside of our remit. The name consists of two quite separate surnames in Cherry, a name found throughout Europe and one ultimately of Roman (Latin) origins and probably introduced by them into England in the 1st century a.d. The second name is Holme, itself a surname of Olde English origins. Both are residential in origin, or on some occasions occupational. Cherry describes a person who lived or worked at a cherry orchard, or who lived by a house known by the sign of the cherry. In the days before house numbering, it was the tradition in almost all western countries to give the house a sign. Sometimes this indicated the occupation of the occupant, but more often it was simply identification. Today the surviving memory of this tradition at least in the British Isles, is the inn sign, although even this is begining to die out in the face of trendiness or "corporate identity". The derivation of the surname is from the ancient word "cerasus" meaning cherry. The very earliest recording in England is that of Robert Chyry in the register of the assize court of Lancashire in the year 1284. Holme is a surname which derives from either the Olde English or the Norse pre 7th century word "holmr" meaning a piece of land surrounded by streams and hence a person who lived at such a place. Another possibility is from residence by a "holm", the original word for the holly oak or holy oak. The first known recording is believed to be Roger de Holm in the register of Seals for the county of Leicester in the year 1186.