Woltars History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the Woltars family migrated to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The surname Woltars is based on the Germanic personal name Walter. The name is composed of the elements wald, meaning rule and heri, meaning army. 1 2

As far as the Watters variant is concerned, "upon the adoption of surnames by the common people, a person who resided near such a place would be called William or John Atte-Water, still retained in Attwater; but on the omission of the preposition in the XV. century, the name was pluralized to Waters. " 3

"Water was the normal medieval pronunciation of Walter." 4

Early Origins of the Woltars family

The surname Woltars was first found in Cambridgeshire where they held a family seat from early times as Lords of the manor or Crowhurst.

Walter of Lorraine (d. 1079), was Bishop of Hereford, a native of Lotharingia or Lorraine, was chaplain of Edith or Eadgyth (d. 1075), the Confessor's queen, and as a reward of his industry was appointed to the bishopric of Hereford at Christmas 1060. 5

Walter of Palermo (fl. 1170), was Archbishop of Palermo, primate and chancellor of Sicily, and was sent to Sicily by Henry II of England as an instructor for young William II of Sicily. 5

Hubert Walter (c.1160-1205) was Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. Weeton in Lancashire was an early home of the family. "This place, in Domesday Book called Widetun, was early in the family of Walter." 6

"The church [of Woolvercott in Lancashire], situated on the bank of the Isis, has a sepulchral chapel on the north side, containing a stately monument to the family of Walter, of whom David Walter was High Sheriff of the county, and commanded a regiment of horse under Charles I. in the parliamentary war." 6

About the same time, Greenalgh with Thistleton, again in Lancashire was home to another branch of the family. It was here that the manor of Greenalgh-cum-Thistleton was held in the reign of Charles I. 6

As mentioned above, the surnames Walter and Watter were interchangeable so accordingly early rolls had a mixture of phonetic entries, both as a forename and surname.

The first record for the family was found in 1066 where the ancient Latin form of the name was listed, Walterusepiscopus. This entry was made at the time of the Conquest. Twenty years later, Robertus filius Walterii, Galterii was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. Later Galterus le Lingedraper was listed at Oseney, Oxfordshire in 1210 and Petrus Walterus was listed at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1182. The Pipe Rolls for 1191 in Suffolk included an entry for Petrus Walteri and Geoffrey Walter was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. 4

Waterus de Cantelupo was listed in Lincolnshire c. 1135; Walterus, Walterus filius Herberti was similarly listed in Lincolnshire; John Watter was found in the Curia Regis Rolls for Warwickshire in 1214; Richard Wauter and Roger Watter were found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275; Hugh Water was found in the Assize Rolls for Northumberland in 1279; Alice Waters in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327; and John Wauters in Warwickshire in 1348. 4

Early History of the Woltars family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Woltars research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1189, 1412, 1566, 1604, 1611, 1628, 1629, 1630, 1675, 1678, 1847 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Woltars History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woltars Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Woltars include Walter, Walters, Watter, Watters, Walthew, Wattis and others.

Early Notables of the Woltars family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Walter or FitzWalter (d. 1412?), an early astrologer, educated at Winchester and Oxford. He died at Winchester, and was buried there about 1412. 5 Sir John Walter (1566-1630), was an English judge, second son of Edmund Walter of Ludlow, Shropshire. 5 Henry...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Woltars Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Woltars family to Ireland

Some of the Woltars family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 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 Woltars family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Woltarss to arrive on North American shores: William Walters, a fisherman, settled in Trinity, Newfoundland, in 1757; Henry Walters was a gun-maker of St. John's, Newfoundland in 1806; Casper Walter from England settled in New York in 1709 with his wife and nine children.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.