Wooday History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Wooday is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wooday family lived in Leicestershire. Further research showed the name was derived from the Old English word wode, meaning wood, and indicates that the original bearer lived near a wood.

Early Origins of the Wooday family

The surname Wooday was first found in Leicester, where they held land in Thorpe Arnold, under the Earl of Leicester. They were descended from Ernald de Vosco, a Norman knight, who came to Britain with the Norman invasion of 1066. After losing these lands, the main branch of the family moved north to Dumfriesshire, Scotland where they held a family seat from about 1150.

Early History of the Wooday family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wooday research. Another 197 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1455, 1478, 1486, 1488, 1495, 1500, 1502, 1539, 1597, 1604, 1610, 1622, 1654, 1661, 1666, 1671, 1672, 1675, 1682 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Wooday History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wooday Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Wood, Woods, Wode, Would, Woid, Voud, Vould and others.

Early Notables of the Wooday family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Wode KS (died 1502) was a British judge, appointed Justice of the Peace for Berkshire in 1478, was made a Serjeant-at-law in 1486 and in 1488 a King's Serjeant, in 1495 he was made a Puisne Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and in 1500 he was made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas; Sir John Wood of Bonnytoun; Sir Andrew Wood (c.1455-1539) Scottish...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wooday Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wooday family to Ireland

Some of the Wooday family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 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 Wooday family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Wooday or a variant listed above: Thomas Wood and his family who had settled in Virginia before the ".

The Wooday 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: Tutus in undis
Motto Translation: Safe on the waves.