Show ContentsWeach History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Weach family

The surname Weach was first found in Dumfriesshire, where they held a family seat in Wauchopedale from about the year 1150. Robert de Wauchope was one of twelve knights who negotiated the law of the border territories in 1249.

The abbreviation of Waugh created a separate branch of the Clan, and David Waugh of Lanarkshire, Robert Waugh of Heap, rendered homage to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. This latter person may have been the same as Robert de Wauchope who also rendered homage for the Wauchopes. [1]

"The border name of Waugh is an abbreviation of Wau-chope, the Waughs are sprung from the Wauchopes and have the same arms." [1]

Later some of the family we found across the border in England, where Willelmus Wahh was registered in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. [2]

"The Waughs, who are now established in England in the counties of Northumberland and Durham, probably hail originally from the Waughs of the Scottish border counties, where the name still has its home, especially in Roxburghshire and Dumfriesshire. The Waughs of Heip, in Roxburghshire, held those lands from the 13th to the 17th century." [3]

Early History of the Weach family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Weach research. Another 227 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1178, 1436, 1445, 1448, 1467, 1500, 1521, 1526, 1536, 1539, 1543, 1551, 1565, 1585, 1587, 1589, 1590, 1597, 1598, 1633, 1649, 1656, 1664, 1672, 1682, 1723, 1734, 1751, 1754, 1766, 1770, 1783, 1810, 1827, 1829, 1878 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Weach History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Weach Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Waugh, Wauchope, Waughe, Walge, Wach, Walcht and others.

Early Notables of the Weach family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Robert Wauchope (c. 1500-1551), Scottish cleric, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh from 1539 to 1551; John Waugh (1656-1734), an English clergyman, Bishop of Carlisle from 1723; and his son, John Waugh who became Dean of Worcester in 1751.Sir John Wauchope (d. 1682), of Niddrie, was a Scottish covenanter, descended from the old family of Wauchope of Wauchope in Dumfriesshire, who became proprietors of the lands of Culter, Aberdeenshire, and from the thirteenth century were hereditary baillies in Mid Lothian to the Keith Marischal of Scotland, afterwards Earl Marischal, from whom they obtained the...
Another 144 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Weach Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Weach family to Ireland

Some of the Weach family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 215 words (15 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Weach migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Weach Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Henry Weach, who landed in Virginia in 1717 [4]


The Weach 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: Industria ditat
Motto Translation: Industry enriches.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. 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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