Wolseley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Wolseley family

The surname Wolseley was first found in Staffordshire at Wolseley, a hamlet in the hundred of Pirehill which dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Ulselei. 1

It was land held by the Bishop of Chester and was quite small having 4 villans, 2 borders with 1 plough and 3 acres of meadows. Over the centuries the hamlet has remained quite small. A census taken in the 1800s lists only 133 inhabitants.

The hamlet includes the small village of Wolseley-Bridge, and about half a mile west of the bridge stands Wolseley Hall, the family manor with a stately facade crowned with an embattled parapet. The interior is embellished with beautifully-carved oak panels that date back to the time of Charles II. The family was "the most ancient among all the very ancient families in this county" and are "said to have been resident at Wolseley even before the Norman Conquest, and it has ever since remained their seat and residence." 2

One of the earliest records of the family was Robert de Wolsley, vicar of Addingham in Craven, 1353. 3

Early History of the Wolseley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wolseley research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1473, 1514, 1529, 1530, 1587, 1628, 1630, 1646, 1660, 1697, 1714, 1728, 1730 and 1744 are included under the topic Early Wolseley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wolseley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wolseley, Wolsley, Woolsley, Wolsey, Woolsey and many more.

Early Notables of the Wolseley family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Sir Robert Wolseley, (c. 1587-1646), created a Baronet by Charles I in 1628
Robert Wolseley (died 1697), Envoy-Extraordinary to the Governor General of the Spanish Netherlands
Sir William Wolseley, 3rd Baronet (c. 1660-1728)

Migration of the Wolseley family to Ireland

Some of the Wolseley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wolseley migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wolseley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Wolseley, who arrived in Maryland in 1675 4
Winifred Wolseley, who landed in Maryland in 1675 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Wolseley (post 1700) +

Sir James Douglas Wolseley (b. 1937), 13th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir Garnet Wolseley (1915-1991), 12th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir William Augustus Wolseley (1865-1950), 11th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir Reginald Wolseley (1872-1933), 10th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir John Wolseley (1803-1890), 8th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir Capel Charles Wolseley (1870-1923), 9th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir Clement James Wolseley (1837-1889), 7th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir John Richard Wolseley (1834-1874), 6th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir Clement Wolseley (1794-1857), 5th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
Sir Richard Wolseley (1760-1852), 4th Baronet of Mount Wolseley, English peer
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Wolseley 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: Homo homini lupus
Motto Translation: Man a wolf to man.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)