Wenden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Belgium
England
Germany

The illustrious surname Wenden originates in Essex at Wenden-Lofts, a civil parish in the Uttlesford district and/or Wendens-Ambo, a nearby parish. "This parish, which is supposed to have derived the adjunct to its name from a former proprietor." 1 Wendens-Ambo "appears to have derived its affix from the consolidation of two parishes consequent on the destruction of the parochial church of Little Wenden. " 1

As far as the origin of the name itself, it was from the "Old English dún, a hill; the first element probably being the personal name Wena (Old English wena, hope): if the -den were really original (certainly Domesday Book as Wendena) 2 it, of course, would be Old English denu, a valley] In 1261-2 the manor of Wendon (Essex) belonged to Mauricius de Berkeley." 3

"The Wendons and Wendens derive their names from parishes in the county." 4

Early Origins of the Wenden family

The surname Wenden was first found in Essex where the Pipe Rolls of 1179 includes an entry for John de Wendon. Again in Essex, William de Wendenne was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1207 and in Sussex, we found Richard ate Wendene in 1341. 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include entries for Peter de Wendon, Lincolnshire; and Alex de Wenden, Cambridgeshire. 6

Early History of the Wenden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wenden research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1626, 1652 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Wenden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wenden Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wendon, Wenden and others.

Early Notables of the Wenden family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Wenden of Essex

Wenden 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:

Wenden Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Richard Wenden, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Wenden (post 1700) +

Michael Vincent Wenden AM, MBE (b. 1949), Australian four-time gold medalist swimmer from Sydney who represented Australia in the 1968 Summer Olympics and 1972 Summer Olympics

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)