Show ContentsWarring History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought the Warring family name to the British Isles. Warring comes from the Old French personal name Guarin meaning to shelter or protect. 1

Early Origins of the Warring family

The surname Warring was first found in Devon at Waringstown where the family are descended from John Waring who later settled in Ireland temp. James I. It was there he founded another Waringstown, a village in County Armagh. Waring's son, Samuel, brought Flemish weavers to the village, built Huguenot style cottages for them, some of which survive today. The patriarch of the family was Miles Sire de Guerin, who came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066. 2 He was originally a vassal of the Odo, the Bishop of Bayeaux.

Early History of the Warring family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Warring research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1610, 1614, 1638, 1658, 1660, 1671, 1678, 1679, 1681, 1683, 1685, 1687 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Warring History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Warring Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Waring, Wareing, Waringe, Wearing and others.

Early Notables of the Warring family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Waring (1614-1658), an English author, descended from an old Staffordshire family settled at 'the Lea' in the time of Henry VIII. "His father was Edmund Waring and his mother the daughter of Richard Broughton of Owlbury. " 3Edmund Waring (c 1638-1687), was an English landowner and politician of Owlbury, Member of Parliament for Bishop's Castle (1660-1681) and (1685-1687.)William Waring (1610-1679), was an English Jesuit, "who was best known in England by the assumed name of Harcourt, although he was at times known as Barrow, was born in Lancashire. In 1671 he was...
Another 112 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Warring Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Warring family to Ireland

Some of the Warring family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Warring migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Warring or a variant listed above:

Warring Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Sarah Warring, who arrived in Maryland in 1658 4
  • Thomas Warring, who landed in Maryland in 1667 4
  • Sampson Warring, aged 50, who landed in Maryland in 1668 4
  • John Warring, who arrived in Maryland in 1669 4
Warring Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Albertus Warring, who landed in Virginia in 1702 4
Warring Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Leight Warring, aged 26, who landed in America in 1812 4
  • Susan Warring, aged 17, who landed in Massachusetts in 1813 4

Canada Warring migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Warring Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mary Warring, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Theod Warring, who arrived in Quebec in 1784

Australia Warring migration to Australia +

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

Warring Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Richard Warring, aged 19, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Burlington"

New Zealand Warring 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:

Warring Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Warring, aged 26, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Waipa" in 1876
  • Mr. William Warring, (b. 1849), aged 26, Cornish farm labourer departing on 17th December 1875 aboard the ship "Waipa" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 2nd April 1876 5
  • Mr. Albert J. Warring, (b. 1857), aged 22, Cornish agricultural labourer departing on 19th July 1879 aboard the ship "Rangitiki" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 14th October 1879 6


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  5. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Wellington 1872-1880 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nz_wellington.pdf
  6. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf


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