Wathes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Scotland were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. Scottish patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century. The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. The surname Wathes is derived from from the personal name Walter, meaning strong warrior.

Early Origins of the Wathes family

The surname Wathes was first found in Carnegy on the north-east coast of Scotland. "In 1446 there is mention of the seal of Wat of Carnegy. Walter Wat held land in Brechin in 1586, and Alexander Wat was witness to a sasine in 1512. Patrick Wat in Turriff was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1609, and John Wat was retoured heir of Adam Wat, writer to the King's Signet, in lands in the parish of Stewartoun, etc., in 1663. " ( Black)

Early History of the Wathes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wathes research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1511, 1596, 1615, 1796 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Wathes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wathes Spelling Variations

The frequent translations of surnames from and into Gaelic, accounts for the multitude of spelling variations found in Scottish surnames. Furthermore, the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent because medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. The different versions of a surname, such as the inclusion of the patronymic prefix "Mac", frequently indicated a religious or Clan affiliation, or even a division of the family. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into Scotland, accelerating accentuating the alterations to various surnames. The name Wathes has also been spelled Watts, Wathes, Wattys, Wath, Watt and others.

Early Notables of the Wathes family

Notable among the family at this time was

Simon Wathes, soldier of fortune

Migration of the Wathes family to Ireland

Some of the Wathes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wathes family

Some of the first North American settlers with Wathes name or one of its variants: Robert Watts who settled in Bona Vista in Newfoundland in 1708; David Watt settled in Barbados in 1680; Captain Watts settled in Boston in 1755; Henry Watts settled in Maine in 1630.

The Wathes 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: Fide et fiducia
Motto Translation: By fidelity and confidence.