Ingraham

This ancient and interesting surname, particularly associated with Yorkshire, England, has its origins in a Germanic personal name which although essentially pre 7th century Anglo-Saxon, may have been introduced into England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066. The derivation is from 'Engel'. This was a tribal name meaning 'The Angles', the people of 'Engalanda', in Northern Germany who invaded Eastern and Northern Britain in the 5th Century and 6th Century, and subsequently gave their name to 'England'. To this was added the suffix 'hrafn', meaning 'raven', a bird renowned for its wisdom. There is also the possibility that the suffix may be a development of 'ramm', which does literally mean 'The ram', an animal renowned for both its ferocity and fecundity! Early recordings of the surname are all from the Yorkshire region and include John Ingeram, also recorded as John Ingelram of Whitby in Yorkshire in 1138, Robert Ingeram of Guisborough, Yorkshire in 1220, and Richard Ingram of Calverly, Yorkshire in 1250. The modern surname can be found recorded as Ingram, Ingrem, Ingraham, and the patronymic Ingrams. Edward Ingram was one of the earliest settlers in America, being listed as resident in 'Virginea', New England, in 1635. Over ten Coat of Arms have been granted to the family; the one most often associated with them being an ermine shield with three gold escallops on a red fesse. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Engelram, which was dated 1132, in the "Charters of the Abbey of Rievaulx", Yorkshire, during the reign of King Henry 1, known as "The Lion of Justice", 1100 - 1135.