The commune's name is of Germanic origin and dates back to at least the 9th century. It was written in Old Low Franconian as Aldomhem between 844 and 864 and again in 877, and as Aldenehem in 1164. Consisting of inflexions of the element alt "old" and the extremely common toponymic suffix hem "home, village", the literal translation would be "old home" or "old village".[4]
Geography
The village is located 11 miles (18 km) northwest of Saint-Omer, at the junction of the D223 with the D217E road.
Louis Amadeus Rappe (February 2, 1801 - August 9, 1877) first bishop of Cleveland OH, is born in Audrehem in a farmer family. The street where we can find his birth house is now named in his remembrance.