Wilowbey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Wilowbey is a name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066. The Wilowbey family lived in Lincolnshire at Willoughby.

Early Origins of the Wilowbey family

The surname Wilowbey 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 Wilowbey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wilowbey 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 Wilowbey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wilowbey Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Willoughby, Willowby and others.

Early Notables of the Wilowbey family

Outstanding 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 of Richard II in the Tower in 1399, and was one of the peers who consented to King Richard's imprisonment, taken part in Henry IV's expedition to Scotland (1400), admitted to the Order of the Garter (1401), among those appointed to negotiate with the Welsh rebel, Owain Glyndair (1402), he remained loyal to the King, was appointed to the King's council, among the...
Another 183 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wilowbey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wilowbey migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Wilowbey or a variant listed above:

Wilowbey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Wilowbey, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 3

The Wilowbey 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: Verite sans peur
Motto Translation: Truth without fear.

Citations +

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
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)