William Family Crest and Name History

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William PDF Surname History


The Ancient History Of The Distinguished Surname William

William

Contents

William history with William Family Crest
William Motto Translated
Surname Notables

About Family Crests

William Products

Origin Displayed: Welsh

Where did the Welsh William family come from? What is the Welsh coat of arms/family crest? When did the William family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the history of the family name?

The Welsh name William is a patronymic surname derived from the personal name William, which is in turn derived from the Old German names Willihelm and Willelm (the Norman French version was Guillaume). Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, William became the most popular personal name in Britain for a time.

Although there are not an extremely large number Welsh surnames, there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations of those surnames. This variety of spellings began almost immediately after the acceptance of surnames within Welsh society. In the early Middle Ages, the great majority of Welsh people were illiterate, therefore it was up to priests and the very few other literate individuals that kept official records to determine how to spell the names that they heard. As time progressed, these old Brythonic names were eventually were recorded in English. This process was problematic in that many of the highly inflected sounds of the native language of Wales could not be properly captured in English. Some families, however, did decide to modify their own names to indicate a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even a patriotic affiliation. The name William has seen various spelling variations: Williams, Quilliams, Guilliam, Guilliams and others.

First found in Breconshire and Monmouthshire on the English/ Welsh border, where the William family held a family seat from very ancient times.

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More about the William History...

Please remember that this page is only a small extract of our complete history that includes:

Ancient origin of the name (usually pre-1100)
Known spelling variations
Early movement of the family name during the Middle Ages
Noteworthy bearers from the 1500-1600s
First settlers to North America
Notable contemporary bearers of the name
A description and/or full color picture of the Coat of Arms, Crest, and Motto (where available)

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in search of land, work, and freedom. These immigrants greatly contributed to the rapid development of the new nations of Canada and the United States. They also added a rich and lasting cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name William: David Williams and Elizabeth Williams, who both settled in Virginia in 1623; as did Edward Williams in 1624; Richard Williams, who came to Maine in 1630.

Motto Translated: By following the truth.

For more information on the last name William, the PDF Surname History is available for purchase as well as other products.

Some noteworthy people of the name William

Bernard William, American, Republican Congressman from New York in the 1940s and 1950s
James William, American professional (NFL) football player

Tell Me More About Family Crests

Family Crests: the Heraldic Artist

We have researched the William family crest in the most recognized sources. Before an artist or craftsman can render a family crest, it must exist. In other words the crest must have been designed and recorded by the heralds from time immemorial.

Heraldic designs matriculated by the lay-artist in many cases becomes uninspired, meretricious and even ugly...

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Family Crests: Timeline

Many of the symbols adopted into armory have been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians, but heraldry itself did not begin until the 11th century. In continental Europe, the most ancient recorded family crest was discovered upon the monumental effigy of a Count of Wasserburg in the church of St. Emeran, at Ratisobon, Germany...

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Family Crests: Elements

In the William coat of arms as in all coat of arms the crest is only one element of the full armorial achievement. Again the Family Crest is just part of the story of Coats of Arms or Heraldry. Heraldry is defined as the hereditary art or science of blazoning, the description is appropriate technical terms of Coats-of-Arms and other heraldic and armorial insignia, and is of very ancient origin...

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Family Crests and Genealogy: how they relate

We encourage you to study the William genealogy to find out if you descend from someone who bore a particular family crest. Anyone making a study of heraldry usually becomes interested in Genealogy or seeking legal claim to a particular family crest. No families, not even the royal houses, can make sound claim to the right to bear arms unless a proven connection is established through attested Genealogical records...

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William Family Crest Products

Anniversary

Anniversary products for the name William.

Apparel

Apparel proudly displaying the William coat of arms.

Armorial histories

Armorial histories for the name William.

Ceramics

Ceramics with the family crest for the name William.

Coat of Arms

Coat of Arms for the name William.

Downloads

Downloads with the coat of arms for the name William.

Family Crest

Family Crest for the name William.

Family Tree

Family Tree proudly displaying the William coat of arms.

Hand Painted Plaques

Hand Painted Plaques showing the William family crest.

Keychains

Keychains proudly displaying the William family crest.

Mouse pads

Mouse pads emphasing the family crest for the name William.

New Products

New Products for the William family crest.

Packages

Packages emphasing the William family crest.

Plaques and Frames

Plaques and Frames with the family crest for the name William.

Surname Histories

Surname Histories for the name William.

Symbolism

Symbolism showing the William family crest.

Travel Mugs

Travel Mugs featuring the family crest for the surname William.

Popular Products
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	Framed Surname History and Coat of Arms

The William Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The William Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.