Holden Family Info

THE HOLDEN NAME: Taken from the book by Edward Mac Lysaght
Following the Anglo-Norman invasion at the end of the 12th century, a Welsh family by the name of HOULYN established themselves in an area in the southern part of what is now County Kilkenny. In time they became Lords of Kilree and elsewhere in the Barony of Kells (County Kilkenny). There were many early variants of the name: HOLYING, HOULYN, AND HOWLING. These became standardized as HOWLIN. The name appeared in such records as "Ormond Deeds" and "Judiciary Rolls From 1306", when Richard and John Houlin were tenants of the manor of Gowran, and "Chaucery Rolls of 1536" In which one Edmund Hoyling, yeoman of Wexford County, was pardoned for murder. When the census of 1659 was compiled, Houling was recorded as a principal Irish name both in the Barony of Kells and in that of Knocktopher, a place often mentioned in reference to the family. By 1659 the family had spread into County Wexford where the name was entered as Howlin. They located around Knockhowlin. Later, some branches of the family became known as Holden. They lived near the Walsh Mountains along the border between Wexford and Wicklow. In the Barony of Gowran, the place called Howlingstown in the 1659 census, had become Holdenstown. Holdenrath, near Kilkenny, was probably named for the family, but Holdentown on County Wicklow near Beltinglass was given the alias Ballyhalton in a 16th century fiat. Holden was in use as another name for Howlin before 1685 when the will of Thomas HOLDEN of Bennett’s Bridge was proved. A few years later one discovers the will of Michael HOLDEN of Waterford. Some Holdens of note were Smollet HOLDEN (d. 1813), a military music master and instrument maker in Dublin, who was the editor of several music publications. His son, Frances H., doctor of music, was associated with George Petrie in the collection of Irish airs. It should be noted that HOLDEN is also an English surname, and that some families living in Ireland with the name HOLDEN may be of English origin and not from the HOWLIN origin. The English version was found among the 17th century Ulster Plantation, and was also that of a family which came from Lancashire about 1850. In their case the name HOLDEN was a contraction for HOLEDENE. HOLDEN is quite common in the north midlands of England.

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