The Christian name Isham - origin? And, brick wall help.

+5 votes
753 views
Anyone have a way to research the name Isham? This name was used a lot by my ancestors. It has caused a lot of confusion in Walker family trees because people are cross mingling families based on the name alone.  As far as I can tell my Brick Wall Walker-6742 is the first to use it, but no-one has been able to confirm his parents. Oh, but he's been linked to Jacob Walker/Courtenay Tucker and Jacob Walker/Sarah Middleton.

How can I attempt to find when his parent may have jumped the pond or where else to look for clues. He's been a brick wall for-ev-ER!

Suggestions?

Thanks!

PS: riding out Hurricane Florence in SC at the moment. May lose power over weekend o.o
WikiTree profile: Isham Walker
in Genealogy Help by Angela Herman G2G6 Mach 1 (17.9k points)
retagged by Angela Herman
Yeah, it's from the surname. It's actually not super rare in Appalachia.
forebears.io is a go to site. Forename/Surname -gives meaning and location. I hope this helps.

5 Answers

+6 votes
 
Best answer
Isham is derived from the surname Isham. See https://www.houseofnames.com/isham-family-crest for details.
by Doug McCallum G2G6 Pilot (527k points)
selected by Pip Sheppard
So, is this that a reliable site for information? I know a lot of time, if they’re selling something, the info can be iffy, lol.

Not trying to be rude, but seriously asking.
They used to have a load of terrible rubbish.  Then they got rid of it all.  They probably sold more plaques if people didn't see the text first.

Now they seem to have had a go at writing some better stuff.  But I still wouldn't rely on it.
Wikipedia said the same thing as did a sozen or so ither sites.i just picked the first one i saw that was cleRly written.
+6 votes
Angela, you do what ever you have to do to stay safe. I've got one daughter and a son-in-law and one daughter and her fiancee to worry about, all living on the coast. Be safe, and if you can, keep us posted. We'll want to know you're OK.
by Pip Sheppard G2G Astronaut (2.7m points)
+3 votes
If this was a SURNAME at one time, why do you suppose they used it as a CHRISTIAN name? I am researching Isham Walker-6742

Isham is such an unusual name, that it must have some kind of meaning in this family since it was used a lot throughout. So much so, that it has caused confusion in family trees. Isham Walker's from different generations are getting mixed up all over the place. It also doesn't help that the Isham Walker's were from the same general area and may have migrated together.

Ideas?

I need suggestions on how to break the brick wall on this one.
by Angela Herman G2G6 Mach 1 (17.9k points)
Surnames frequently get used as given names. Sometimes to honor a wife’s family or sometimes a friend. Most iften as a middle name but I’ve seen it as first name. It may also have entered the family early and stayed.

You may have to apply the FAN principles and explore Friends, Associates and Neighbors to break through. Isham may have been in one of these categories.
+3 votes

I found this interesting on the surname isham.

Isham Name Meaning

English: habitational name from a place in Northamptonshire named Isham, from the river name Ise (of Celtic origin) + Old English ham ‘homestead’ or hamm ‘promontory’ or ‘enclosure hemmed in by water’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press

by Sandra Vines G2G6 Pilot (132k points)
This answer is indexed on Google.
+2 votes
Hi There

I have just come across the name Isham Hugh Revel born 1708 in relation to my Revells of Robeson County research. He arrived in the US with his brother James, or so the story goes. I think he may be the one who carried the name across the pond.

Best wishes

Sue
by F Elliott G2G Rookie (260 points)

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