Show ContentsWhitling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Whitling is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Whitling comes from the Germanic personal name Walter. The name is composed of the elements wald, meaning rule and heri, meaning army.

Early Origins of the Whitling family

The surname Whitling was first found in Sussex where they were conjecturally descended from the village of Wartling or Whatlington, held at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book survey by William by the Count of Eu [1]. The hamlet consisted of 3 salt houses at that time. Although other historians conjecture that it was related to Watling Street, the great Roman Way which winds northward in England to Chester and the north, this seems impractical. Derived from this is also Watlington, "ton" meaning a hamlet. The many other explanations of the origin of this name such as the trade name of 'watling', a form of wall and roof construction of houses in ancient times, can be discounted as too general for such an isolated name. If this were the origin, Watling would be as popular and prolific as Carpenter and many other house building trade surnames. Watlington is a parish located in Norfolk and Oxfordshire. The latter has a most interesting history. The place name is supposed to have been derived from the Saxon Watelar, meaning "hurdles" or " wattles," alluding to the way in which the Britons are described to have built their towns, " as groves fenced in with hewn trees." It is traditionally said that a military chest of money was left at the house of Robert Parslow, in the town, and never afterwards claimed, in consequence of which he bequeathed a liberal donation to the poor of the parish. [2]

Early History of the Whitling family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whitling research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1296, 1332, 1681, 1688, 1695, 1711 and 1792 are included under the topic Early Whitling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whitling Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Watling, Whatling, Watlington, Watlingtone, Whatlington and many more.

Early Notables of the Whitling family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John (George) Watling (died 1681), an English buccaneer who claimed to have never plundered on the Sabbath and refused...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whitling Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Australia Whitling migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Whitling Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Whitling, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asiatic" on 26th May 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [3]


The Whitling 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: Corde manuque
Motto Translation: With heart and hand.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asiatic


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