Wardley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Early Origins of the Wardley family

The surname Wardley was first found in Inverness-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Nis) divided between the present day Scottish Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles, and consisting of a large northern mainland area and various island areas off the west coast, the shire was anciently both a Pictish and Norwegian stronghold, where they are believed to be descended from John Biset, son of Henry Biset, Lord of Cany in Normandy, who became a Norman Lord of the Aird at Bewley near Inverness. However, there seems to be no evidence of the existence of "Wardlaws of the Ilk."

There is a place named Wardlaw, near Beauly which has existed as early as 1210 when it was recorded as Wardelaue.

As far the surname goes, Henricus de Wardlaw, was the first on record to use the name. He received a charter from Robert the Bruce in 1330, for half of the Barony of Wiltone in Roxburghshire. 1

Wardlow is a parish and linear village in the Derbyshire Dales and within the parish lies Warlow Mires, a small hamlet. The parish has always had a rather small population as seen in a census in the late 1800s showing only 171 people. The parish dates back to 1258 when it was listed as Wardelawe, and literally meant "watch or look-out hill" derived from the Old English weard + hlaw 2

Early History of the Wardley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wardley research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1358, 1367, 1387, 1440, 1565, 1612, 1617, 1618, 1621, 1631, 1637, 1653, 1661, 1675, 1677, 1678, 1680, 1683, 1705, 1709, 1720, 1727, 1730, 1739, 1750 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Wardley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wardley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wardlaw, Wardlawe, Wardlow, Wadlow, Wadley and others.

Early Notables of the Wardley family

Notable among the family at this time was Walter Wardlaw (c. 1387), son of a Sir Henry Wardlaw of Torry, Bishop of Glasgow (1367-1387); Henry Wardlaw (died 1440), Bishop of St Andrews and founder of the University of St Andrews; and Elizabeth Wardlaw (1677-1727), Lady Wardlaw, reputed author of the poem "Hardyknute."The Wardlaw Baronetcy, of Pitreavie, County of Fife, is a title in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia that was created on 5 March 1631...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wardley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wardley family to Ireland

Some of the Wardley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wardley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Wardley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Samuel Wardley, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 2nd November 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
Mr. John Wardley, English convict who was convicted in Kendal (Westmorland), Cumbria, England for 7 years, transported aboard the ""Blenheim"" on 24th July 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) and Norfolk Island, Australia 4

Historic Events for the Wardley family +

SS Atlantic

Amos Wardley, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Annie Wardley, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

The Wardley 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: Familias firmat pietas
Motto Translation: Piety strengthens families.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th March 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim