Show ContentsWedin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Wedin came to England with the ancestors of the Wedin family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wedin family lived in Buckinghamshire, on Whielden Lane, Amersham. Today Weedon is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district to the north of Aylesbury and south of Hardwick in Buckinghamshire.

Early Origins of the Wedin family

The surname Wedin was first found in Northamptonshire where they held a family seat at two villages called Weedon Beck and Weedon Lois. They held these lands from the Count of Mortain, and were conjecturally descended from Hugh of Grand Mesnil in Normandy. The poet, Dame Edith Sitwell, is buried in the village.

Early rolls give a glimpse of the many spellings in use at the time. Robert de Wedonia was listed in Northamptonshire c. 1160. In Berkshire Ralph de Wedon was listed there in 1207 and the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire included an entry for William Wedon 1396-1397. [1]

The root name was found in the Hundredorum Rolls for Dorset in 1273 as William Wede. William le Weed was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. [1]

Another source notes the Hundredorum Rolls include: John de Wedon, Buckinghamshire; and Ralph de Wedone, Bedfordshire. [2] The Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. includes an entry for Nicholas de Wedon, Nottinghamshire, Henry III-Edward I. [3]

Early History of the Wedin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wedin research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1582, 1606, 1608, 1611, 1612, 1734, 1777 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Wedin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wedin Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Wedin has been recorded under many different variations, including Weedon, Weeden, Weeton, Weton, Wedon and others.

Early Notables of the Wedin family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was George Weedon (1734-1793), American soldier during the Revolutionary War from Fredericksburg, Colony of Virginia. He served as a lieutenant under...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wedin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wedin family

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Wedins were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: James Weedon settled in Newport, R.I. in 1630; along with William; Isaac Weedon settled in Virginia in 1720; Jane Weedon settled in Maryland in 1720; James Weedon settled in New England in 1755..


Contemporary Notables of the name Wedin (post 1700) +

  • Elof Wedin (1901-1983), Swedish American painter
  • Butch Wedin (b. 1940), American ski jumper at the 1960 Winter Olympics
  • N. Peter Wedin, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1912 [4]
  • Ivar T. Wedin (d. 1983), American politician, Mayor of Cadillac, Michigan, 1962-67; Defeated, 1967 [4]
  • Anton Wedin (b. 1993), Swedish ice hockey player
  • Wanja Elisabeth Lundby- Wedin (b. 1952), Swedish President of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (2000-2012)


The Wedin 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: Credo
Motto Translation: I Believe.


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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