Wide History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Wide surname is derived from the Middle English word "wode," meaning "wood," which suggests that the original bearer of the name lived near a wood, or was perhaps employed as a woodcutter or forester.

Early Origins of the Wide family

The surname Wide was first found in Leicestershire, England. However, during ascension of William to the English throne, the family were stripped of their land holdings in Leicestershire by the king, and moved north to Dumfriesshire, Scotland. The first of the family in this region are said to descend from a Norman knight by the name of Ernald de Bosco (Bosco is a Latinized form of wood,) who accompanied William the Conqueror. A number of Boscos are thought to have have moved northwards with other Anglo-Norman families in the train of Margaret, King Malcolm Ceanmore's second wife, to escape the ponderous rule of William.

Early History of the Wide family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wide research. Another 194 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1124, 1153, 1168, 1214, 1295, 1376, 1398, 1488, 1515, 1678, 1680, 1688, 1695, 1761 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Wide History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wide Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Vould, Voud, Vode, Would, Wood, Woods, Wode, Woid, Wodes and many more.

Early Notables of the Wide family

Notable among the family at this time was Sir Andrew Wood (d. 1515) of Largo, Fife, a Scottish Sea Captain, who rose to become Lord High Admiral of Scotland, he held the lands at Kirkton of Largo in Fife, and is said to be the scion of the Chiefly line of the Woods. Family lore...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wide Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wide family to Ireland

Some of the Wide family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wide migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wide Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary Wide, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 1

Wide Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Louise Wide, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
Lilian B. Wide, aged 43, who settled in America, in 1906
Edgar J. Wide, aged 17, who immigrated to the United States, in 1921
E. J. Edgar J. Wide, aged 20, who landed in America, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Wide (post 1700) +

Edvin Wide (1896-1996), Swedish silver and three-time bronze medalist long-distance runner in 1920 and the 1928 Olympics
Ernst Wide (1888-1950), Swedish silver medalist long-distance runner in 1912 Olympics

Citations +

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)