Willkason History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Willkason is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest of 1066 brought to England. It comes from the Norman personal name Wilkins, which in turn is derived from the name William. William, which is derived from the words will, meaning resolution and helm, meaning armed. 1

Early Origins of the Willkason family

The surname Willkason was first found in Durham where they held a family seat from early times. They were descended from Robert de Wintona, of Glamorgan, one of twelve knights who came into Glamorgan with Robert Fitzhamon, a Norman noble, in 1066. Fitzhamon was Sheriff of Kent and founder of Tewkesbury. 2

"This name is almost entirely confined to the northern half of England, as defined by a line drawn west from the Wash. It is best represented in Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, and Lancashire, and is also fairly numerous in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Cheshire. " 3

Early rolls provided a wide range of spellings that have been used over the centuries: Roger Wyleconsesone, found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1332; and Thomas Wilkynson in the Subsidy Rolls for Cumberland in 1332. 4 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Adam Wylkynson and Thomas Wylkynson. 5

Early History of the Willkason family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willkason research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1566, 1586, 1597, 1601, 1610, 1613, 1616, 1646, 1647, 1650, 1675, 1690, 1728, 1738, 1797, 1798, 1808, 1875 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Willkason History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willkason Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Wilkinson, Wilkisson, Wilkiesson and others.

Early Notables of the Willkason family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry Wilkinson (1610-1675), an English clergyman, Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity, and member of the Westminster Assembly. He was the son of Henry Wilkinson (1566-1647), by his wife Sarah, was born at Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire. His father, who was elected fellow of Merton College, Oxford, in 1586, was created B.D. on 7 July 1597, and was from 1601 till his death on 19 March 1646-1647 rector of Waddesdon. Henry the younger was Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, son of Henry Wilkinson (1566-1647.) 6Henry Wilkinson (1616-1690), was an English clergyman and academic, Principal of Magdalen...
Another 226 words (16 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Willkason Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Willkason family to Ireland

Some of the Willkason family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 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 Willkason family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Willkason name or one of its variants: William Wilkinson, who arrived in Virginia in 1606, 14 years before the "Mayflower"; Lawrence Wilkinson, who arrived in Providence, RI in 1645.

The Willkason 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: Non mihi sed tibi gloria
Motto Translation: Glory to thee, not to me.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print