Contents [hide]

Woolsey History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Woolsey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Woolsey family

The surname Woolsey 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 Woolsey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Woolsey 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 Woolsey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woolsey Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Woolsey family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (c. 1473-1530), English prelate, Archbishop of York, Primate of England (1514-1529), Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII; Sir Robert Wolseley, (c. 1587-1646), created a Baronet by Charles I in 1628; and his son, Sir Charles Wolseley, 2nd Baronet (ca.1630-1714)...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Woolsey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woolsey Ranking

In the United States, the name Woolsey is the 5,072^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Woolsey family to Ireland

Some of the Woolsey 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.

Woolsey migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Woolsey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Joris Woolsey, who arrived in New York in 1623 5
George Woolsey, aged 26, who landed in New York in 1647 5

Woolsey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Woolsey, who settled in Baltimore in 1789

Woolsey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

T D Woolsey, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 5
Edith Woolsey, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States, in 1893
Florence Woolsey, aged 34, who immigrated to America, in 1894
C. W. Woolsey, aged 54, who immigrated to the United States, in 1894
Hopkins Woolsey, aged 71, who landed in America, in 1894
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Woolsey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Frank Woolsey, aged 50, who landed in America from Donegal, in 1900
Eliz. Woolsey, aged 64, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
Heatheole M. Woolsey, aged 20, who settled in America, in 1904
Greer Woolsey, aged 35, who landed in America, in 1906
Aricene S. Woolsey, aged 60, who landed in America, in 1906
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Woolsey migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Woolsey Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Benjamin Muirson Woolsey U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1784 he served in the Queen's Rangers 6

Woolsey migration to Australia +

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

Woolsey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

George Woolsey, English convict from Swaffham, Norfolk, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7
Mr. James Woolsey, (b. 1843), aged 20, Irish labourer travelling from Queenstown, Ireland aboard the ship "Golden Empire" arriving in Brisbane, Australia in July 1863 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Woolsey (post 1700) +

Commodore Melancthon Taylor Woolsey (1782-1838), American officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812, descendant of George "Joris" Woolsey, one of the earliest settlers of New Amsterdam, eponym of the USS Woolsey (DD-77), a Wickes-class destroyer in World War I and USS Woolsey (DD-437), a Gleaves-class destroyer in World War II
William Tripp Woolsey (1934-2022), American competition swimmer and gold medalist at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Theodore Salisbury Woolsey Jr. (1879-1933), United States Forest Service employee, forestry researcher, professor at Yale University, son of Theodore Salisbury Woolsey
Theodore Salisbury Woolsey (1852-1929), American legal scholar from New Haven, Connecticut, son of Theodore Dwight Woolsey
Ted Woolsey, American video game translator and producer
Sarah Chauncey Woolsey (1835-1905), American children's author who wrote under the pen name Susan Coolidge, aunt of Gamel Woolsey
Sally Woolsey, American silver medalist bridge player, wife of Kit Woolsey
Kit Woolsey (b. 1943), American bridge and backgammon expert, he and his wife Sally Woolsey were inducted into the ACBL Hall of Fame in 2005, eponym of the Woolsey convention
John Munro Woolsey (1877-1945), American jurist known "for his brilliant and poignantly phrased decisions", son of William Walton Woolsey
William Walton Woolsey (1842-1909), American planter in Aiken, South Carolina, father of Gamel Woolsey
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Woolsey 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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
The Ships List Passenger Lists Ship Golden Empire (Retrieved 26th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.ozlists.com/genies/shipping/special_lists/s_golden_empire.htm