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![Show Contents]() Wistwox History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Wistwox was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Wistwox family lived in Staffordshire, at the manor of Westewike. Today, Wightwick is a part of Tettenhall Wightwick ward in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is so named after an ancient local family the "de Wightwicks". Of note is Wightwick Manor, a Victorian manor house now owned by the National Trust. Early Origins of the Wistwox familyThe surname Wistwox was first found in Staffordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Westewike, in the Lordship of Tettenhall. The family originated in Wightwick, "a hamlet in Staffordshire, where this ancient family resided. " 1 The family also anciently had branches in Surrey, Berkshire and Coventry. The first on record was William de Wictewike who lived about in 1260, but the name is recorded in the Domesday Book. 2 Today Wightwick Manor is a Victorian manor house located in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, built in the 19th century and includes original Morris wallpapers and fabrics, De Morgan tiles, Kempe glass and has beautiful gardens and stables. Early History of the Wistwox familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wistwox research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1420, 1594, 1659, 1692 and 1829 are included under the topic Early Wistwox History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wistwox Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Wistwox are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Wistwox include Wyghtwiche, Wightwycke, Wightwick, Whitewick, Whytewick, Writewick, Wytewick, Writewyck, Witewyck, Westwick, Westick, Wightick, Westwicke, Westwyck and many more. Early Notables of the Wistwox familyAnother 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wistwox Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wistwox familyFaced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Wistwox, or a variant listed above: William Westick who landed in North America in 1702.
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: Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
Motto Translation: I will either find a road or make one.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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