Show ContentsWalastone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Walastone is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived in one of a variety of similarly-named places. Settlements named Woolstone are in Buckinghamshire and Devon. Wolstan is a parish in Warwickshire and Woolston is a hamlet in Somerset. The surname Walastone belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Walastone family

The surname Walastone was first found in Lancashire at Woolstone, a township, in the parish and union of Warrington, hundred of West Derby. Saint Walstan (or Walston) (died 1016) dedicated his life to farming and the care of farm animals and is accordingly the patron saint of farms, farmers, farmhands, ranchers and husbandrymen.

"[Bawburgh, or Babur in Norfolk] is distinguished as the birthplace of St. Walstan; he lived at Taverham, where he died in 1016, and his remains were removed hither, and enshrined in a chapel in the parish church. The resort of pilgrims to visit his shrine greatly enriched the vicar and officiating priests, who, in 1309, rebuilt the church; but the chapel in which the remains of the saint were deposited was demolished in the reign of Henry VIII." 1

Early History of the Walastone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Walastone research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1465, 1535, 1553, 1561, 1570, 1573, 1579, 1594, 1670, 1705 and 1733 are included under the topic Early Walastone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Walastone Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Walastone has been recorded under many different variations, including Woolston, Woolton, Wolston and others.

Early Notables of the Walastone family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Woolton (or Wolton) (1535?-1594), English Bishop of Exeter. He was born at Whalley in Lancashire about 1535 (according to Godwin he was born at Wigan), was the son of John Woolton of Wigan, by his wife Isabella, daughter of John Nowell of Bead Hall, Whalley. "He was admitted student of Brasenose College, Oxford, on...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Walastone Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Walastone family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Walastone or a variant listed above: John Woolston settled in New Castle, Delaware in 1677; and moved in the same year to New Jersey; William Woolton settled in Virginia in 1639.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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