Warenforth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Warenforth family

The surname Warenforth was first found in Berkshire but now part of Oxfordshire at Wallingford, home to Wallingford Castle, a major medieval castle on the River Thames. Wallingford is a market town and civil parish which dates back to Saxon times when it was first recorded as Welingaforda c. 895. By the Domesday Book of 1086, the town's names had evolved to Walingeford. 1

"At the time of the Norman invasion, Wigod, a powerful Saxon, had a castle at Wallingford, to which, after the battle of Hastings, he invited the victorious Monarch; the invitation was accepted, and at this place the Conqueror received the submission of Archbishop Stigand, and the principal barons, before he marched with his army to London. During his abode at this place, he celebrated the marriage of Robert D'Oyley, one of his favourite generals, with the only daughter of Wigod. About the year 1067, the King fearing that his new subjects might establish a garrison at Wallingford as they had already done at Oxford, commanded Robert D'Oyley to build a strong castle there ; this castle was frequently used as a State prison." 2

The place name literally means "ford of a man called Wealh," from the Old English personal name + "inga" + "ford." 3

Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Wallingford, held by the Bishop of Salisbury, the Bishop of Winchester and William FitzCorbucion, a Norman noble who was recorded in the Domesday Book.

One of the first records of then name was John of Wallingford (died 1214), also known as John de Cella, Abbot of St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire from 1195 to 1214. Before this position he was prior of Holy Trinity Priory at Wallingford in Berkshire, a cell of St Albans.

Another John of Wallingford (died 1258) was a Benedictine monk at the Abbey of St Albans, who served between c.1246 and his death in 1258. He is best remembered for his Chronica Joannis Wallingford. 4

Wallingford Castle was originally a motte-and-bailey structure and grew to become one of the most powerful royal castles of the 12th and 13th centuries. Used by royalty and their immediate family for two centuries, it was abandoned as a royal residence by Henry VIII and fell into decline.

Early History of the Warenforth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Warenforth research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1135, 1153, 1218, 1292, 1306, 1336, 1381, 1488 and 1492 are included under the topic Early Warenforth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Warenforth Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Wallingford, Walingford, Warringford, Waringford, Warengford, Wallingfort, Wallingforth, Walingforth, Warringforth, De Wallingford, De Wallingforth, Warrenford, Warrenforth, Warenforth, Wallingword, Walingword, Wallyngford, Walyngford and many more.

Early Notables of the Warenforth family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard of Wallingford (1292-1336), an English mathematician who made major contributions to astronomy/astrology and horology while serving as abbot of St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire; and Richard of Wallingford, Constable of Wallingford Castle and landowner in St Albans who...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Warenforth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Warenforth family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Warenforth or a variant listed above were: settlers were recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Florida, and to the islands..

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print