Wanewright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Wanewright is a name that was formed by the Anglo-Saxon society of old Britain. The name was thought to have been used for someone who once worked as a wainwright or wagon builder. The surname Wanewright is derived from the Old English word wægnwyrhta, which means wainwright. 1 2

"Wain is an old, but nearly obsolete, word for wagon. In Sussex, a shed in which wagons stand is called a wain-house or ' wen-hus,' and in some parts of England a wagoner is called a wain-man, whence the surname Wenman. Nor must we forget the constellation, Charles's Wain. A Wainwright was therefore synonymous with Cartwright and Wheelwright, also English surnames, and signified a builder of wagons." 1

Early Origins of the Wanewright family

The surname Wanewright was first found in Worcestershire where they were Lords of the manor of Dudelei from very ancient times, and it is possible that they are interrelated with the Norman Baron William FitzAnsculf whose castle was in Dudley.

One of the earliest records of the name was Alimar Wanwrecthe who was listed in Essex in 1237. Adam the Waynwrith was listed in Yorkshire in 1285 and Alan le Waynwright was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1285. 2

Early History of the Wanewright family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wanewright research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1568, 1577, 1592 and 1678 are included under the topic Early Wanewright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wanewright Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Wanewright include Wainwright, Waynewright, Wainright, Wayn and others.

Early Notables of the Wanewright family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wanewright Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wanewright family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Wanewright were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Hester Wainewright who settled in Barbados in 1682; William Wainright settled in Barbados in 1654; John Wainright settled in Pennsylvania in 1773; Mary and John Wainwright settled in New York N.Y. in 1821.

Contemporary Notables of the name Wanewright (post 1700) +

V. Wanewright, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1876 3

Citations +

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html