Show ContentsWillemin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Willemin is a name whose history is entwined with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name for a wild man. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character.

Early Origins of the Willemin family

The surname Willemin was first found in Berkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times and were Lords of the manor of Beaucot, before and after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Some of the first records of the name include John Wildeman who was listed on the Close Rolls during the reign of King Richard II, which lasted from 1377 to 1399 and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists Willelmus Wyldman.

Early History of the Willemin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willemin research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1621, 1646, 1647 and 1693 are included under the topic Early Willemin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willemin Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Willemin were recorded, including Wildman, Wyldman, Wileman and others.

Early Notables of the Willemin family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir John Wildman (c. 1621-1693), an English soldier and politician. "He seems to have served for a time in Sir Thomas Fairfax's lifeguards, probably about 1646, as it is hinted that he was not one of that body in the days of fighting, and had certainly ceased to belong to it by the autumn of 1647. In the autumn of 1647, when the soldiers of...
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Willemin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willemin Ranking

In France, the name Willemin is the 7,868th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. [1]


United States Willemin migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Willemin family emigrate to North America:

Willemin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Alphonse Louis Willemin, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 [2]


The Willemin 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: Tentenda via est
Motto Translation: The way must be tried.


  1. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  2. 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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