Notes on the name Helm

There are some questions related to the spelling of his surname. Christopher Helme spelled it “Helme,” as is shown by

his signature on “The Exeter Combination,” mentioned later. However, his father in the will above spells his surname

“Elme.” His father's ancestors are, in turn, identified as “Elmes.” Christopher's sons in Rhode Island are variously

identified as “Helme” or “Helmes.” This could be attributed to lack of spelling conventions and/or regional pronunciations.

Interestingly, while dropping the “e” or adding an “s” to the end of this surname is not uncommon in the written records so

far examined on either side of the Atlantic, it is significantly less common to find an “H” added to or dropped from the

speling of the surname, changing “Elme” to “Helme,” or vice-versa.