| ![Show Contents]() Wattam History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The history of the Wattam family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Nottingham, at Whatton. The name of this town derives from the Old English words hvaete, meaning wheat, and tun, meaning settlement or enclosure. 1 Early Origins of the Wattam familyThe surname Wattam was first found in Nottingham where a Norman noble, Robert de Watone, the youngest son of Gaitier de Tirell, Seigneur de Poix in Picardy, was granted the Lordship of Wattone in the Vale in that shire, and it was shown in the Domesday Survey of 1086. 2 Today, there are numerous places in Britain by the name Watton: Watton, Devon; Watton, East Riding of Yorkshire; Watton, Norfolk; and Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire. Early History of the Wattam familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wattam research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wattam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wattam Spelling VariationsAnglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Wattone, Watone, Wathon, Watton, Watten, Wattan, Whattone, Whatone, Whathon and many more. Early Notables of the Wattam familyMore information is included under the topic Early Wattam Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Wattam migration to the United States | + |
Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Wattam name or one of its variants:
Wattam Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Annie Wattam, aged 48, who settled in America from Skegness, in 1898
- Thomas Wattam, aged 52, who landed in America from Skegness, in 1898
| Wattam migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Wattam Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- George Wattam, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Assaye" in 1874 3
- Mary A. Wattam, aged 29, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Assaye" in 1874 3
- Mr. George Wattam, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Assaye" arriving in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand on 26th December 1874 3
- Mrs. Mary A. Wattam, British settler travelling from London, UK with 2 children aboard the ship "Assaye" arriving in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand on 26th December 1874 3
- Robert Wattam, aged 14, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Apelles" in 1878
| Contemporary Notables of the name Wattam (post 1700) | + |
- Frank Wattam (1908-1984), English professional footballer who played as a wing half from 1924 to 1939
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: Fidei coticula crux
Motto Translation: The cross is the test of truth.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
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Wattam migration to the United States 
Wattam migration to New Zealand 
