Show ContentsWhetstine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Whetstine family

The surname Whetstine was first found in Leicestershire at Whetstone, a village and civil parish in the Blaby district that dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Whetstone and Westham. 1

This village was held by under-tenant Ralph, a Norman noble, who held by the Robert Beaumont, Count of Meulan who held these lands and ninety other manors in Leicester, Warwick and Wiltshire. Rather small by standards of the day, the village held one mill, had 16 acres of meadow and was land enough for 7 ploughs.

Whetstone is also a hamlet and chapelry, in the parishes of Fryern-Barnet and Finchley, Finsbury division of the hundred of Ossulstone, union of Barnet in Middlesex. 2

Whetstones or water stones are used to grind and hone the edges of steel tools and implements. Charnwood Forest in northwest Leicestershire, has been quarried for centuries, and has been a major source of whetstones and quern-stones.

Early History of the Whetstine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whetstine research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1544, 1557, 1587, 1630, 1655, 1668 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Whetstine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whetstine Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Whetstone, Wetstone, Wetston, Whytstone, Whetston and many more.

Early Notables of the Whetstine family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Whetstone (d. 1557), English landowner who owned the manor of Walcot at Barnack, near Stamford, Lincolnshire; and his son, George Whetstone (1544-1587), English dramatist and author. He "was related to a wealthy family of Whetstone, which owned in the sixteenth century the manor of Walcot in the parish of Bernack, near Stamford in Lincolnshire. He seems to have been a native of London and third son of Robert Whetstone, who owned a tenement called 'The...
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whetstine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whetstine family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: settlers were recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Florida, and to the islands..



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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