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![Show Contents]() Wiggmer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Wiggmer is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wiggmer family lived in Herefordshire, at Wigmore. The name of this place derives from the Old English words wicga, meaning moving, and mor, meaning marsh, and probably indicated that the bearer of the name lived near a shallow, swampy part of a river. 1 Early Origins of the Wiggmer familyThe surname Wiggmer was first found in Herefordshire and Worcestershire which both date back to the Domesday Book 2 and were listed as Wigemore in that register. Wigmore is also a village in the Unitary Authority of Medway, Kent that dates back to 1275 when is was listed as Wydemere, from an Old English "wid" + "mere" meaning "broad pool". 1 The family conjecturally descend from Ralph de Mortimer, who built Wigmore Castle c. 1070 on the River Teme in Hereford. Wigmore Abbey, located nearby, was an Augustinian abbey with a grange and was founded by Ranulph de Mortimer (d. c. 1104), who was known as Lord of Wigmore. The abbey and the castle are both in ruins today. The exact relationship between the Wigmores and the Mortimers is unclear. Today, Wigmore is a new estate situated on the outskirts of Luton near Luton Airport, Bedfordshire. Early History of the Wiggmer familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wiggmer research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1362, 1390, 1397, 1468, 1557, 1566, 1581 and 1588 are included under the topic Early Wiggmer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wiggmer Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Wigmore, Wigmer, Wiggmore and others. Early Notables of the Wiggmer familyAnother 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wiggmer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Wiggmer family to Ireland
Some of the Wiggmer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wiggmer familyMany English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Wiggmer or a variant listed above: Elias Wiggmore who settled in Virginia in 1635; Nathaniel Wiggmore settled in Virginia in 1663; James Wiggmore arrived in Pennsylvania in 1771.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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England
Ireland
