Wallish Surname History

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The history of the name Wallish begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from William or Wilhelm. Tracing the origin of the name further, we found the name Wallish was originally derived from the Germanic elements will, meaning resolve, helm, meaning protection, and cock or cox, an affectionate or diminutive suffix commonly used in ancient times. With the additional suffix, cox, the name was taken to mean the son of little William. 1

Early Origins of the Wallish family

The surname Wallish was first found in Lancashire where one of the first records of the name was listed simply as Wilcok with no personal name in the Assize Rolls of that shire in 1246. Wilcoc was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1286 and William Wylecok was listed in Somerset in the Assize Rolls of 1254. Quite of few of the family were found in Yorkshire as shown by John Wilcokes who was listed there in 1316. 2

By the time of the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, there were numerous entries for the name including those with the "son" extension: Richard Wilokson; Adam Wylkokson; Raddulfus Wycok; and Willelmus Wilkocson. 3

Further to the north in Scotland, entries for the family were later. "Adam Willicok was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1578, and Alexander Willicok in Fechill was bewitched in 1597. " 4

Early History of the Wallish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wallish research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1480, 1515, 1541, 1549, 1558, 1562, 1566, 1585, 1588, 1600, 1608, 1673, 1723, 1724, 1736, 1756, 1791 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Wallish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wallish Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Wallish has been recorded under many different variations, including Wilcox, Wilcocks, Willock, Wallock and others.

Early Notables of the Wallish family

Distinguished members of the family include Nicolaus Wollick (c. 1480-1541), English music theorist Robert Willcox (1558-1588), was an English Catholic martyr (one of the Oaten Hill Martyrs) who was hung, drawn and quartered; he was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929. John Willock (or Willocks or Willox) (c. 1515-1585), was a Scottish reformer, a native of Ayrshire and was educated at the University of Glasgow. In 1562 he became rector of All Saints Church, Loughborough in Leicestershire. 5 Thomas Wilcox (1549?-1608), was an English Puritan divine, born about 1549, and was 'fellow or scholar...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wallish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wallish family to Ireland

Some of the Wallish family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wallish migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Wallish Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Margaret Wallish, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1848 6
Mr. Josiah Wallish, (b. 1825), aged 30, Cornish agricultural labourer departing from Plymouth on 21st October 1854 aboard the ship "Oithona" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 30th January 1855 7
Mrs. Maria Wallish, (b. 1832), aged 23, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 21st October 1854 aboard the ship "Oithona" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 30th January 1855 7
Mr. Thomas Wallish, (b. 1854), aged 1, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 21st October 1854 aboard the ship "Oithona" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 30th January 1855 7

Wallish migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Wallish Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Mathias Wallish, (b. 1853), aged 21, Cornish farm labourer departing on 10th October 1874 aboard the ship "Warwick" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 2nd February 1875 8

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE - 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Constance.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Auckland 1872-80 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf