Weafer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Weafer is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is a name for a weaver. The surname Weafer was originally derived from the Old English word wefan, meaning a person who weaves cloth from long strands of fibre. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been Norman in origin as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Hubert de Wevre, in Normandy in 1198. The same source notes Robert, Hugh, Ernald, Oger, Serlo, William, Gerard, Gauffrid Textor in Normandy 1180-95. 2

Early Origins of the Weafer family

The surname Weafer was first found in Cheshire, where they held a family seat at the time of the Conquest, and Lords of the manor of Weaver. 3 They were descended from the Norman, Le Wevere.

One of the first records of the family in early rolls was Simon de Wevere in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1259. A few years later in Sussex, we found John le Weuere and William Weuere in the Subsidy Rolls for 1296. 4

Early History of the Weafer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Weafer research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1550, 1603, 1616, 1627, 1630, 1633, 1638, 1639, 1640, 1645, 1649, 1653, 1663, 1673, 1685, 1687 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Weafer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Weafer Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Weaver, Wever, Weever and others.

Early Notables of the Weafer family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Wever (fl 1550), an English poet and dramatist; John Weaver (died 1685), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Stamford (1645); Robert Weaver (c.1630-1687), an English politician; and John Weaver (1673-1760), an English dancer and choreographer, and is often regarded as the father of English pantomime.John Weaver (d. 1685), was an English politician of North Luffenham, Lincolnshire. "In January 1649 Weaver was named one of the commissioners for trying Charles I, but never attended any of the sittings of the court. On 14 April 1653 parliament voted him Scottish lands to the...
Another 125 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Weafer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Weafer family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Weafer name or one of its variants: Edmund and James Weaver settled in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630; John Weaver and his wife settled in Barbados in 1678; Samuel Weaver settled in Virginia in 1624.

The Weafer Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Esto fidelis
Motto Translation: Be Faithful.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
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)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)