Contents [hide]

Dewolfe History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Dewolfe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Ireland

The ancient name Dewolfe is a Norman name that would have been developed in England after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. This name is thought to have evolved from a nickname for a person who bore some resemblance to a wolf, either in appearance or behavior 1 2 "often Latinized as Lupus and found in the French forms Lou and Love." 3

Early Origins of the Dewolfe family

The surname Dewolfe was first found in The Pipe Rolls, or Sheriff's Annual Accounts of the Counties of Cumberland, Westmorland and Durham during the reigns of Henry II, Richard I and John where the forename Ulf de Appelbi was recorded in 1163. The same rolls listed Ulf Stodhyrda in 1196. 4

In Lincolnshire, the Pipe Rolls of 1166 included an entry for Robert Wulf as holding lands there at that time. 3

Later the Cartularium Abbatiale de Whiteby, Ordinis S. Benedicti had two records, this time as a surname: Roger Ulfe; and William filius Ulfe in 1350. 4

Early History of the Dewolfe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dewolfe research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1550, 1560, 1578, 1739, 1755, 1760, 1791, 1803 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Dewolfe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dewolfe Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Dewolfe family name include Wolfe, Wolf, Woolf, Woolfe, Wolff, de Wolfe and many more.

Early Notables of the Dewolfe family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Arthur Wolfe, 1st Viscount Kilwarden (1739-1803), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, the son of John Wolfe of Forenaughts, co. Kildare, and of Mary, only daughter of William Philpot. He entered at Trinity College, Dublin, in 1755, and, having obtained a scholarship, graduated B.A. in 1760.Charles Wolfe (1791-1823), the Irish poet, was born at Blackhall, co. Kildare, on 14 Dec. 1791. He was one of a family of...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dewolfe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dewolfe family to Ireland

Some of the Dewolfe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dewolfe migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Dewolfe family to immigrate North America:

Dewolfe Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

W H DeWolfe, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 5

Dewolfe Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

D. C. DeWolfe, aged 48, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
Oscar DeWolfe, aged 62, who landed in America, in 1903
Pearl DeWolfe, aged 21, who settled in America, in 1907
Matt DeWolfe, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
Alice C. DeWolfe, aged 14, who settled in America, in 1910
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dewolfe migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dewolfe Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Frank DeWolfe, aged 38, who immigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1920

Contemporary Notables of the name Dewolfe (post 1700) +

Chris DeWolfe (b. 1966), American entrepreneur, one of the creators of Myspace
James "Jim" DeWolfe (b. 1949), Canadian politician in Nova Scotia who represented Pictou East in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1998 to 2006

Historic Events for the Dewolfe family +

Halifax Explosion

Master William Roy DeWolfe (1909-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 6

The Dewolfe 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: Fides in adversis
Motto Translation: faith in adversity

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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)
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)
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