Ingram History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Ingram family

The surname Ingram was first found in Northumberland at Ingram, (meaning grassland enclosure) a small village in the Cheviots on the River Breamish. 1 The first listing of the village was in 1242 when it was listed as Angerham and literally meant “homestead or enclosure with grassland,” having derived from the Old English words anger + ham. 2

Alternatively, the name could have been a variant of the Latin name Ingelramus, an ancient personal name which was also listed as Ingelram and Ingerham. 3

According to the source, Freeman’s Norman Conquest, “Ingelram the first, was Count of Ponthieu. One of these Ingelrams of Ponthieu married the Conqueror’s sister Adelaide. By-and-by Ingeram or Ingram became the recognized form.”

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had a plethora of listings: Ingelram (without surname), Cambridgeshire; Sibil Ingelram, Huntingdonshire; Ingeram de Betoyne, Huntingdonshire; Peter Ingeram, Wiltshire; John Ingeram, Yorkshire; and Ingeramus (without surname), Buckinghamshire. 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls included: Ingram Carter, wryghl; Willelmus Ingram; Ingelramus de Gren; and Willelmus Ingramson. 4

Interestingly, Thomas Ingerham, a worker, in the Liberary was buried at St. Peter, Cornhill in London, but “in America this form has settled down into Ingraham.” 4

In Scotland, the first record of the family was as “Ingelram, later Ingeram, also Middle English Ingelmm, Ingerom. Latinized Ingelramus. Hyngelrom, clericus, witnessed a charter by David I to the Abbey of Neubotle, c. 1142. Engeham (Engellram, Inselleran, Hingelram, Engeram), rector of Peebles, archdeacon of Glasgow, became chancellor of Scotland in the reign of Malcolm IV. Hyngelramus de Monte acuto was a witness in Dumbarton, 1271.” 5