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From: "Lawrence Ollier" <>
Subject: Early English Huguenot/Walloon Question
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2005 23:25:41 +0100


Hello list,
I have been trying to find an explanation to my ancestors origins for some years now and still can not find anything definitive.
My surname is OLLIER.
Fact:
1) 95% of the worlds OLLIER's come from France.
2) I would say with certainty that 95% of the remaining 5% originated in the County of Cheshire (my lot)
What I have is this:
Known records of the OLLIER spellings from 1570 onwards found in Cheshire:
HOLOWHEAR (1570 marriage) ALLOHIERE (1572-1611 Bapt. Marr. Bur.) OLEHHEYER (1637 Bapt.) then to present date OLLIER or OLLYER. All these records stem from Wyllum HOLOWHEAR, the 1570 marriage mentioned above.
My theory is that if the "OLLIER's" were "native" to Cheshire then how come we can only find a record for just the one in this early period, ie if they were already established one would expect more of them.
This has led me to think that some how he just arrived on the scene as it were.
So on that theory, would you know of any event that might make some one come from France or maybe the Low Countries to Cheshire/England around 1570?
The only record I have found to ALLOHIERE spelling is in the Cotes D'Armor region of Brittainy in France, these were to a couple of Burial records in the 1700's.
I have also looked and wondered at the possibility of the Dutch word ALLHIER which means "of this place" ie if Wyllum was non lingo speaking when he got married in the UK he might have used that as a description of his origins?
Thanks for taking the time to read this, any help or suggestions would be very welcome.
Best regards from Lawrence Ollier.

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