Wadkens History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

A product of the ancient Brythonic Celts of Wales, the name Wadkens, is from the personal name Walter. The surname Wadkens is derived from the pet form Wat, which is supplemented by the common diminutive suffix -kin.

Early Origins of the Wadkens family

The surname Wadkens was first found in Breconshire (Welsh: Sir Frycheiniog), a traditional county in southern Wales, which takes its name from the Welsh kingdom of Brycheiniog (5th-10th centuries), where they held a family seat at Pennoyre from ancient times and early in the eleventh century branched to Llangorse in that same shire.

Early History of the Wadkens family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wadkens research. Another 45 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1653, 1660, 1665 and 1670 are included under the topic Early Wadkens History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wadkens Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Wadkens has occasionally been spelled Watkins, Watkyns, Watkens, Watkin and others.

Early Notables of the Wadkens family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Morgan Watkins (fl. 1653-1670), English Quaker from Herefordshire who was imprisoned in 1660 in St. Albans gaol and later twice in 1665...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wadkens Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wadkens family to Ireland

Some of the Wadkens family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wadkens family

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 Wadkens: Henry Watkins who was a fisherman of Little Harbour in Twillingate Newfoundland in 1814; Peregrine Watkines settled in Virginia in 1621; Evan Watkins settled in Virginia in 1622.

The Wadkens 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: Pen-aur-y-chalon Wir
Motto Translation: A golden head and true heart.