Show ContentsWarrenton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Warrenton is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Warrenton family lived in Lancashire, at Warrington, a borough, markettown, and parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of West Derby. It was originally a British town, and on the invasion of the Romans under Agricola in the year 79, converted into a Roman station. The Saxons named the place Weringtun, from the Saxon Wæring, a fortification, and tun, a town. It later formed part of the demesne of Edward the Confessor and became head of a deanery, of which the jurisdiction still remains. In Domesday Book it is listed under the name of Wallintun; and in the reign of Edward I was in the possession of William le Boteler, who obtained for it the grant of a market, and other privileges.

Early Origins of the Warrenton family

The surname Warrenton was first found in Lancashire where the manor was granted to Roger de Poitou, one of William the Conqueror's favorite Barons, who held all the lands from the Ribble to the Mersey from 1066. Roger gave Warrington to Paganus de Vilars, a Norman Lord of Villieres le Sec in Calvados, Normandy. His descendants were the Lords of Warrington until 1586 and it is from the junior lines that the name Warrington is derived.

Early History of the Warrenton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Warrenton research. Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Warrenton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Warrenton Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Warrington, Warrinton and others.

Early Notables of the Warrenton family

More information is included under the topic Early Warrenton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Warrenton migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Warrenton or a variant listed above:

Warrenton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Elizabeth Warrenton, who landed in Maryland in 1667 1
Warrenton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edward Warrenton, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 1


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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