Wright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Wright

What does the name Wright mean?

The ancestors of the Wright family derived their name from the "Anglo-Saxon wyrhta [which] signifies, in its widest sense, the same as the Latin faber, a workman of any kind, but more specifically an artificer in hard materials. The eminent antiquary who bears this surname observes, that "Smith was the general term for a worker in metals, and Wright for one who worked in wood and other materials. Hence in the later English period smith became the peculiar name of a blacksmith, and wright of a carpenter, as it is still in Scotland." 1

Early Origins of the Wright family

The surname Wright was first found in Sussex where Patere le Writh was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1214. Years later, the same rolls but in 1255 and this time in Essex, listed Robert le Wrichte in 1255. Richard le Wrete was found in the Assize Rolls for Kent in 1317 and later, Hugh le Wreghte in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327. Thomas le Wrighte was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327 and Walter le Wrytte in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Robert le Wriete in Cambridgeshire; Roger le Wriete in Cambridgeshire; and Margery le Wrytte in Cambridgeshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Adam Wrygson; Robert Wreghtson; and Johannes Redebarn, wryght. 3

"This name is distributed over England, but is comparatively infrequent in the counties on the south coast, and in the northern counties north of Yorkshire. It exists in densest numbers in the counties lying between the Wash and the Thames, being especially numerous in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, and also, but to a less extent, in Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. In the midlands it is nearly as crowded, and has its chief centres in Warwickshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire, etc. It is also very frequent in Lincolnshire and Cheshire, and is somewhat less numerous in Lancashire and Yorkshire. The Wrights have established themselves in Scotland, though in no great numbers, and not usually north of Perthshire.' 4

Early History of the Wright family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wright research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1342, 1561, 1590, 1599, 1602, 1609, 1611, 1615, 1623, 1634, 1637, 1654, 1657, 1658, 1660, 1664, 1670, 1675, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1687, 1689, 1690, 1721 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Wright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wright Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wright, Right, Write, Wrighte and others.

Early Notables of the Wright family

Laurence Wright (1590-1657), an English physician, notably physician in ordinary to Oliver Cromwell and to the Charterhouse
John Wright (fl. 1602-1658), a major London publisher and bookseller, one of the two booksellers who sold Shakespeare's Sonnets in 1609 a member of the syndicate that printed the Shakespeare First Fol...
Sir Henry Wright, 1st Baronet (c.1637-1664), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons (1660-1664)
John Wright (1615-1683), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Ipswich (1670-1685)
Sir Robert Wright (c. 1634-1689), an English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench (1687-1689)
Abraham Wright (1611-1690) English theological writer and deacon
William Wright (fl. 1675-1682), an English privateer in French service and later a buccaneer who raided Spanish towns in the late 17th century
Sir Nathan Wright (1654-1721), an English judge, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal under King William III and Queen Anne

Wright World Ranking

the United States, the name Wright is the 31^st most popular surname with an estimated 470,043 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Wright is ranked the 53^rd most popular surname with an estimated 37,603 people with that name. 6 And in France, the name Wright is the 7,489^th popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 7 Australia ranks Wright as 24^th with 51,694 people. 8 New Zealand ranks Wright as 57^th with 5,096 people. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Wright as 12^nd with 137,986 people. 10 South Africa ranks Wright as 691^st with 9,780 people. 11

Migration of the Wright family to Ireland

Some of the Wright family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 132 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wright migration to the United States +

Wright Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Robart Wright, aged 45, who arrived in Virginia in 1608 aboard the ship "Swan" 13
Mr. William Wright, from Worcestershire, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship "Fortune" 13
Robert Wright, who settled in Virginia in 1623 with his wife
Horten Wright, aged 20,who arrived in Virginia sometime between 1624-1625 aboard the ship "Susan" 14
Henry Wright, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1635 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wright Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Dionisius Wright, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 14
George Wright, who arrived in Leeward Islands in 1705 14
John Wright, who immigrated Georgia in 1732
Archibald Wright, who arrived in Georgia in 1744 14
Andrew Wright, aged 20, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1774 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wright Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Benjamin Wright, who landed in America in 1806 14
Catherine Wright, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 14
Hanse Wright, aged 40, who landed in Tennessee in 1812 14
Absolom Wright, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1820 14
Daniel Wright, who landed in New York in 1836 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wright migration to Canada +

Wright Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Wright, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1730 15
Mr. Asahel Wright U.E. (b. 1754) born in Mansfield, Connecticut, USA who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1777 then relocated to August, Ontario married to Eva Haynes, he died in 1813 16
Mr. Ebenezer Wright U.E. (b. 1727) born in Windham, Connecticut, USA who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1777 married to Mercy Leach in 1751, he died in 1809 16
Mrs. Ann Wright U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 16
Mr. Elias Wright U.E. (b. 1749) born in New York, USA who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 he died in 1825 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wright Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Anson Wright, who arrived in Canada in 1830
Thomas Wright, aged 21, a shoemaker, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Margaret" from London, England
Frank Wright, aged 25, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Maria" from Cork, Ireland
Mr. David Wright, aged 22 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John Bolton" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 17
Ms. Ellen Wright, aged 26 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Larch" departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wright migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet, Second Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet

Mr. Thomas Wright, (1747 - 1790), aged 42, British settler convicted at Derbyshire, England in 1788, sentenced to Life for stealing a horse, transported aboard the ship "Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 12
Mr. David Wright, British settler convicted at Hertfordshire, England in 1787, sentenced to 14 years for breaking and entering, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 13
Mr. Joseph Wright, (d. 1790), British settler convicted at Lancaster, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790, may have died on the ship 13
Mr. John Wright, British settler convicted at Cheshire, England in 1787, sentenced to Life for theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 13
Mr. John Wright, British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1786, sentenced to Life for stealing a horse, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 13

Second Fleet

Mr. Aaron Wright, British settler convicted in Middlesex, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 13
Mr. Charles Wright, (1761 - 1842), aged 29, British settler convicted in Yorkshire, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for robbery, transported aboard the ship "HMS Gorgon" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 13
Mr. James Wright, (d. 1791), British settler convicted in Norfolk, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for breaking and entry, transported aboard the ship "Albermarle" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 13
Mr. Samuel Wright, British settler convicted in London, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Salamander" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 13
Mr. William Wright, British settler convicted in Cheshire, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 13

Third Fleet

Mr. Thomas Wright, (b. 1764), aged 23, English labourer convicted in Reading, Berkshire on 28th February 1785, sentenced for 7 years for stealing animals, transported aboard the ship "Alexander" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788, died shortly after arriving 13
Mr. Benjamin Wright, (b. 1769), aged 18, English settler convicted in London on 26th May 1784, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 13
Mr. Joseph Wright, (b. 1765), aged 22, English settler convicted in London on 26th May 1784, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 13
Mr. William Wright, (b. 1759), aged 28, English settler convicted in London on 15th September 1784, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 13
Mr. James Wright, (b. 1762), aged 25, English settler convicted in Maidstone, Kent on 11th August 1783, sentenced for 7 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 13

Following the First, Second and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Wright Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. James Wright, English convict who was convicted in Derby, Derbyshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
Miss Sarah Wright, (Squires), English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 19

Wright Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Wright, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 20
Mr. William Wright, British Convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 21
Mr. William Wright, British Convict who was convicted in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 21
Mr. James Wright, Scottish settler who was convicted in Aberdeen, Scotland for 14 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fortune And Alexander" on 31st December 1805, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 22
Mr. John Wright, British settler who was convicted in Nottinghamshire, England for 14 years for possessing a forged note, transported aboard the "Fortune And Alexander" on 31st December 1805, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 22
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wright Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

"Mrs. Frances Wright, (b. 1787), aged 41, English cook who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ""Competitor"" on 9th June 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, listed as having 8 children" 23

Wright migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Wright Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James Wright, (b. 1817), aged 23, British agricultural labourer travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 24
Mrs. Hannah Wright, (b. 1821), aged 19, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 24
Miss Wright, (b. 1839), aged 1 year 6 months, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 24
James Wright, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
Hannah Wright, aged 19, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wright migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 25

Wright Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Lubas Wright, (b. 1619), aged 16, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 26

Contemporary Notables of the name Wright (post 1700) +

Gladys Stone Wright (1925-2025), American multiple award winning band director, one of the first woman band directors in the United States, first woman to be inducted into the National Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors
Stephen Thomas Wright (1942-2025), American professional football player, offensive tackle for five teams in the National Football League (1964-1972), played for the Chicago Fire of the WFL in 1974
Evan Alan Wright (1964-2024), American writer, known for his extensive reporting on subcultures for Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, two-time National Magazine Award winner
Gary Malcolm Wright (1943-2023), American musician and composer from Cresskill, New Jersey, best known for his 1976 hit songs "Dream Weaver" and "Love Is Alive"
Douglas S. Wright (1948-2023), American attorney and politician, Mayor of Topeka, Kansas from 1983 to 1989
John Wright (1943-2023), American two-time Academy Award nominated film editor, best known for his work on The Hunt for Red October (1990) and Speed (1994)
Eric Lloyd Wright (1929-2023), American architect, son of Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. and the grandson of the famed Frank Lloyd Wright
James Wright (1939-2022), American writer and academic, President of Dartmouth College and the Eleazar Wheelock Professor of History at Dartmouth
Bernard Wright (1963-2022), American funk and jazz keyboardist and singer who began his career as a session musician and later released four solo albums
... (Another 87 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Wright family +

Arrow Air Flight 1285

Mr. John R Wright (1962-1985), American Specialist 4th Class from Daleville, Alabama, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 27
Adrian Mark Wright (1974-1985), from Bradford who attended the Bradford City and Lincoln City Third Division match on 11th May 1985 when the Bradford City stadium fire occurred and he died in the fire
George Wright (1916-1943), Australian Private who died aboard the ship "Centaur" an Australian hospital ship when torpedoed on 14th May 1943
Mr. Alfred Wright (d. 1914), British Assistant Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 28
Mrs. Susan A Wright (1860-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 29
... (Another 45 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
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
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 60)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance