Willerton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Willerton first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in one of the places called Wilton in Cumberland, Herefordshire, Norfolk, Somerset, Wiltshire, or the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire. Wilton, Wiltshire was originally called Ellandune. "This town, which derives its name from the river Wily, is of great antiquity, and is supposed by Baxter to have been the Caer-Guilo, or capital of the British prince, Caroilius, and subsequently a seat of the West Saxon kings. It was a place of importance for several centuries preceding the Norman Conquest, possessing an eminent religious establishment, and giving name to the county; the town had also a mint. Wilton is stated by Camden and other writers to have been originally called Ellandune, and to have been the scene of a sanguinary battle fought between Egbert, king of the West Saxons, and Beorwolf, the Mercian king, in which the latter was defeated. " 1

Early Origins of the Willerton family

The surname Willerton was first found in Essex where they held a family seat at Snaresbrook. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings, both with early spellings of the family: Margery de Wiliton, Berkshire; and Ralph de Wylyton, Wiltshire. 2

Kirby's Quest noted "Simon de Wiltone, Somerset, 1 Edward III, [(registered during the first year's reign of King Edward III.)]". 3

One of the first records of the family was William de Wilton (d. 1264), an early English judge "who had fines levied before him in 1247, acted as justice itinerant in 1248, 1249, and 1250, again in 1253, 1255, and 1259-61. He was probably chief justice of the king's bench. He can be traced in the execution of the functions of the office till November 1263. According to Rishanger, he was slain at the battle of Lewes on the king's side (14 May 1264). " 4

Early History of the Willerton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willerton research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1211, 1239, 1296, 1373, 1376 and 1454 are included under the topic Early Willerton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willerton Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Willerton has appeared include Wilton, Wiltone, Willton, Willtone and others.

Early Notables of the Willerton family

Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Willerton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willerton migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Willerton arrived in North America very early:

Willerton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Willerton, aged 18, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Phillip" 5

Willerton Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Thomas W. Willerton, aged 33, originally from Doncaster, England, who arrived in New York in 1913 aboard the ship "Campania" from Liverpool, England 6
Matilda Willerton, aged 28, originally from Willoughley, England, who arrived in New York City, New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Adriatic" from Liverpool, England 6
Mabel Willerton, aged 25, originally from Willoughley, England, who arrived in New York City, New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Adriatic" from Liverpool, England 6
William Willerton, aged 28, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Canadian Miller" from Buenos Aires, Argentina 6

Willerton 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:

Willerton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mark Willerton, aged 20, a farm labourer, who arrived in Napier aboard the ship "Rakaia" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Willerton (post 1700) +

Simon Willerton, British mathematician, known for identifying Willerton's fish, an unexplained relationship between the first two Vassiliev invariants of a knot
Kristof Pieter Willerton (b. 1993), British gold medalist tumbling gymnast at the 2013 Trampoline World Championships
Amy Willerton (b. 1992), British television presenter, model and beauty pageant titleholder, Miss Universe Great Britain

Historic Events for the Willerton family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. R. Willerton (1897-1917), English Seaman aboard the SS Curaca from Rochdale, England, United Kingdom who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 7

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, 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)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance