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![Show Contents]() Willo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Willo arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Willo family lived in Lincolnshire at Willoughby. Early Origins of the Willo familyThe surname Willo was first found in Lincolnshire where Sir William de Willoughby was Lord of Willoughby, a Norman knight who was granted the estates by William the Conqueror. Baron Willoughby de Eresby was a title created by writ in 1313 for Robert de Willoughby. "Thorganby Hall [in Thorganby], formerly the seat of the Willoughbys, is an ancient and handsome stone mansion, situated in well-wooded grounds commanding fine prospects." 1 Matson in Gloucestershire played an important place in England's history. "This place, during the siege of Gloucester, became the head-quarters of Charles I.; and the ancient manorhouse, erected by Sir Ambrose Willoughby, Knt., in the reign of Elizabeth, was on that occasion occupied by the king's sons, Charles and James." 1 Further to the south in Cornwall, an early branch of the family was found in Dorset. "The Willoughbys of Dorsetshire had formerly a seat on the barton of Carvynick or Car-vin-ike [in the parish of St. Endover]. From this family it was carried by a co-heiress to a branch of the Arundells of Lanherne. On failure of male issue in this branch, it was carried in marriage by the heiress of Zach. Arundell, to Anthony Tanner, gent. descended from the Tanners of Court and Bodenick, in St. Stephens Brannell." 2 Early History of the Willo familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willo research. Another 329 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1370, 1399, 1400, 1401, 1402, 1404, 1406, 1409, 1452, 1471, 1472, 1492, 1497, 1502, 1515, 1521, 1528, 1537, 1554, 1570, 1584, 1603, 1617, 1635, 1638, 1640, 1664, 1666, 1667, 1669, 1670, 1672, 1674 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Willo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Willo Spelling VariationsAnglo-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 Willoughby, Willowby and others. Early Notables of the Willo familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was - William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby (c.1370-1409), an English Baron, joined Bolingbroke, the future King Henry IV, soon after his landing at Ravenspur, he was present at the abdication...
- Robert Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby de Broke KG (c.1452-1502) was one of the chief commanders against the Cornish rebels for Henry VII in 1497; Sir Hugh Willoughby of Risley, Derbyshire (died 1554...
- Charles Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby of Parham (1537-1603) was an English peer; William Willoughby, 3rd Baron Willoughby of Parham (1584-1617), his son was an English peer
- Other peers include: Robert Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby de Broke, (c.1452-1502); Robert Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby de Broke, (1472-1521); Henry Willoughby (1640-1669), an English military o...
- Francis Willughby (Willoughby) (1635-1672), was an English ornithologist and ichthyologist; and his daughter, Cassandra Willoughby, Duchess of Chandos (1670-1735), was a British historian, travel writ...
Migration of the Willo familyBecause 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 Willo name or one of its variants: Francis Willoughby, from Portsmouth who became Deputy Governor of Massachusetts in 1678; Lady Ann Willoughby arrived in Barbados in 1679 with her servants.
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: Verite sans peur
Motto Translation: Truth without fear.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
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