Forms: 1–2 aldormann (late WS. ealdor-), 3 allderrmann, aldurmon, 4 elder-, heldar-, aldur-, aldreman, 5 aldir-, aldyr-, 4– alderman. (8–9 Historical ealderman, ealdorman.) [f. OE. aldor (ealdor): see ALDER sb.2 + MAN, i.e., the man who occupied the position held in an earlier stage of society by the aldor, patriarch or chief of the clan.]
The aldor (or ealdor) was thus a natural rank, the aldorman its political equivalent. But the distinction necessarily faded away; the Northumbrian and Mercian Gospel glosses constantly have aldorman for the WSax. ealdor, and in WSax. itself ealdorman differed from ealdor solely in its more restricted and technical use.
1. A senior, signor, superior, ruler; a noble or person of high rank.
In OE. the special title of one exercising authority under the king, over a former kingdom, as Mercia, a district, or county; a viceroy or lord-lieutenant. Used also to translate Lat. princeps, subregulus, optimas, satrapa, dux, comes, præpositus; and, in a more general sense, many other words, as pontifex, architriclinus, presbyter, senator, etc. The special title was mostly supplanted by earl under the Danish dynasty; the more general sense continued for several centuries, and gave rise to 2 and 3. For the OE. title, recent historical writers have used the late West-Saxon and Kentish ealdorman; but the general OE. form was aldormann.
a. As O.E. title.
750. O. E. Chron. (Parker MS.). Her Cuþred cyning ʓefeaht uuiþ Æþelhun þone ofermedan aldorman. Ibid. (c. 855), an. 495. Her cuomon tweʓen aldor-men on Bretene, Cerdic and Cynric his sunu. Ibid. (894). Æþered ealdormon, and Æþelm ealdorman, and Æþelnoþ ealdorman, and þa cinges þeʓnas.
1205. Layam., 1420. Numbert hehte þe alder mon, Þe sculde þas ernde don.
1591. Lambarde, Archeion (1635), 249. Before the divisions of the Realms into Shires, every large territorie had an Alderman, or Governour.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1865), 33. Brightnothus, aldermanne, erle, or duke, of northumberlande.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. App. i. 93. The Aldermen, or governors of counties, who after the Danish times, were often called Earls.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 76. After the Danish conquest, the title of Ealdorman was changed for that of Earl.
1862. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., x. 136. The Earl, Eorlderman, or Governor of the county.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. iii. 75. The chieftains of the first settlers in our island bore no higher title than Ealdorman or Heretoga.
b. As translation of foreign titles = ALDER sb.2
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John ii. 8. Brengeð ðæm aldormen [Ags. & Hatton G. ealdre; Vulg. architriclino].
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xx. 21. Ealdormenn wealdað hyra þeoda [L. & R. aldormenn; Vulg. principes].
c. 1200. Ormin, 14061. And son se þatt bridgume comm, Þatt allderrmann himm seȝȝde.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. IV. 313. Tiberius exilede many of þe aldermen [i.e., of the senators].
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 691. Aungells & Arcangells … And alle Aldermen, þat bene ante tronum.
c. 1550. Cheke, Matt. xxvii. 1. Al ye hedpriestes and ye aldermen of ye people, took councel again Jesus.
1618. Bolton, Floris, I. i. (1636), 6. Called … for their antiquitie, ‘Senators,’ or Aldermen.
† 2. The headman, ruler, governor, or warden of a guild. Obs.
1130. Pipe Roll 31 Hen. I. Ut sit aldermannus in Gilda Mercatorum [at York].
1180. Admerciamenta de Gildis adulterinis (Madox Hist. Excheq. 490). Gilda unde Goscelinus est Aldermannus.
1316. E. Eng. Gilds, xxviii. 73. Be þe ordinaunce of þe Alderman and of þe gilde breþeren. Ibid. (1368), xx. 55. If ani broþer be ded wit-owten þe toun, þe aldirman xal do þe belleman gon for þe soule. Ibid. (1494), 188. The Alderman of the seid Gilde shalbe at Seynt Katerynis Chapell aforeseid, with all his Bredern.
1649. Selden, Laws of Eng., I. xxxiii. (1739), 50. By custom they grew to be Fraternities, or Corporations under one Magistrate or Head, whom they called Alderman.
3. Since the guilds became identified with the corporation or ruling municipal body: A magistrate in English and Irish cities and boroughs, next in dignity to the mayor; properly, as in London, the chief officer of a ward.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 55. On him rixleð lichamliche wil, alse eldrene man on his burh.
1229. Lib. de Ant. Leg., 6. Omnes aldermanni et magnates civitatis per assensum universorum civium.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 5105. The alder man Ich with his ward cam.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 372. Euerich for the wisdom þat he kan Was shaply for to been an Alderman [v.r. aldirman, aldurman].
1428. in Heath, Grocers’ Comp. (1869), 7. For the fyrste dynner imade in the parlore to oure Aldermen … £5 6s. 8d.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. vii. 66. The Maior and Aldermen … Are come to haue some conference with his Grace.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Abbé, Alderman’s pace, a leasurely walking, slow gate.
1629. Gaule, Holy Madn., 94. What an Alderman’s pace he comes.
1667. E. Chamberlayne, Gt. Brit., I. 201. The 26 Aldermen preside over the 26 Wards of the City [of London]. All the Aldermen that have been Lord-Mayors, and the three eldest Aldermen that have not yet arrived to that honourable Estate, are by their Charter Justices of the Peace.
1784. Cowper, Sofa, 61. Elbows still were wanting; these some say, An alderman of Cripplegate contrived.
1878. Stubbs, Const. Hist., III. 565. The title of alderman, which had once belonged to the heads of the several guilds, was transferred to the magistrates of the several wards into which the town was divided, or to the sworn assistants of the mayor, in the cases in which no such division was made.
† 4. ‘Formerly, there were also Aldermen of Hundreds.’ Chambers, Cycl., 1751.
1596. Spenser, State of Irel., 107. When I come to appoint the Alderman, that is the head of the Hundreth.
