Whildind History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Whildind was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Whildind family lived in Lancashire, at the manor of Wheelton. Other records show "Great and Little Weldon are parishes in co. Northampton" 1 and "Weldon, [having] two parishes in the Diocese of Peterborough, Norfolk." 2

Early Origins of the Whildind family

The surname Whildind was first found in Lancashire at Wheelton, a village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley which dates back to c. 1160 when it was listed as Weltona. The place name literally means "farmstead with a water-wheel," from the Old English "hweol" + "tun." 3

The earliest record of the name was fond during the reign of Henry III, or perhaps earlier, where Henry de Quelton granted Sir Adam de Hocton, for the annual rent of one barbed arrow, or four marks, at Michaelmas, all his lands in the town of "Quelton." 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Geoffrey de Weldone, Huntingdonshire; Lucas de Weldon, Lincolnshire; and Hugh de Weledon, Lincolnshire. 2

"The Whieldons or Wheeldons of Staffordshire are mostly gathered together in the district of Stoke-on-Trent. Francis Wheeldon, gent., was an opulent farmer of Hounhill, Hanbury, in the latter half of last century. " 5

Early History of the Whildind family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whildind research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1596, 1600, 1787 and 1839 are included under the topic Early Whildind History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whildind Spelling Variations

Spelling 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 Whildind have been found, including Whieldon, Wheeldon, Wheelton, Whielton, Weelton, Weeldon, Wieldon, Weildon, Weilton, Wheildon, Whilldon, Whildon, Whilden and many more.

Early Notables of the Whildind family

More information is included under the topic Early Whildind Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whildind family

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 Whildind were among those contributors: W. Whilldin, who sailed to New York in 1824.

The Whildind 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: Virtus praestantior auro
Motto Translation: Virtue is more excellent than gold.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.