Watham History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsWhen the ancestors of the Watham family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Lincolnshire at Wadingham, a parish, in the union of Caistor, E. division of the wapentake of Manley, parts of Lindsey. 1 Early Origins of the Watham familyThe surname Watham was first found in Lincolnshire where Gocelin Fitz Lambert was granted the lands of Wadingham by the Bishop of Bayeux. 2 Early rolls show the prominence of the name in early times: Nicholas de Wadingham was recorded c. 1160; Alan de Wadingeham was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1218; and Nicholas de Wadingham was recorded in 1264. 3 Early History of the Watham familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Watham research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1388, 1397, 1411, 1438, 1522, 1523, 1529, 1532, 1534, 1541, 1577 and 1609 are included under the topic Early Watham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Watham Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Watham have been found, including Waddingham, Wadingham, Wadham and others. Early Notables of the Watham familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Nicholas Wadham (1532-1609), founder of Wadham College, Oxford, born in 1532, the only surviving son of John Wadham (d. 1577), and his wife Joan, daughter and coheir of John Tregarthin of Cornwall. The family originally came and took its name from Wadham or Wadeham in the parish of Knowstone, North Devonshire, where it was settled in the reign of Edward I. Thence it migrated to Egge or Edge, near Seaton in the same county. Edge was the seat of John Wadham (d. 1411), who was appointed a judge of the...
For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Watham were among those contributors: Watham Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
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