Wool History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Wool was first found in Sussex where John de Woole was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1296. In 1327, a later Subsidy Rolls included Henry atte Wolle. Again in 1327, but this time in Somerset, the Subsidy Rolls there listed Thomas atte Wulle. 1

"About Langport, co. Somerset, are persons of the labouring class who are commonly called Wooll, but they say that their real old name is Attwooll, probably a corruption of At-Wold. 2 We very much agree with this theory as the name was not an occupational name, but a local name which we shall soon discover.

In Surrey, Alan atte Wulle was registered there in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Interestingly, the name is not related to "wool" but means "dweller by the stream." 1

"In the south-west, particularly in Dorset, Old English wielle, became Middle English wull, woll, instead of well, and this survives in Wool and in Wool Bridge in East Stoke which gave rise to a surname Wullebrigg in 1244. The same development has been noted in Somerset, West Sussex and West Surrey." 1

Exploring early Dorset records, we found a parish named Wool, in the union of Wareham and Purbeck, liberty of Bindon, Wareham division, 6 miles (W. by S.) from Wareham. 3 4

"The church is an ancient structure, partly Norman, and partly in the early English style, with a massive tower; the pulpit hangings, though much decayed, are embellished with representations of the Twelve Apostles, worked in embroidery with gold and silver thread enriched with beads." 5

Dating back to at least the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was recorded as Welle, 6 it literally meant "place at the spring or springs," from the Old English word "wiella." 7