Show ContentsWooliston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Wooliston family

The surname Wooliston was first found in Staffordshire, where "the family were lords in early times, and which they sold to the Aston family temp. Richard I. Wollaston is in the parish of Old Swinford. Some of the Wollastons may derive their name from other places so called in cos. Gloucester and Shropshire. " 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Ivo de Wolastone, Staffordshire; William de Wolastone, Salop (Shropshire); and Saer de Wolaveston, Northamptonshire. 2

The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III list John de Wolaston, Bedfordshire and William de Wolaston, Northamptonshire.

Wollaston is a chapelry, in the parish of Alberbury, union of Atcham, hundred of Ford in Shropshire. The chapelry dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Willavestune and literally meant "farmstead or village of a man called Wiglaf," from the Old English personal name + "tun." 3

Wollaston in Northamptonshire also dates back to the Domesday Book, but had a different spelling, Wilavestone, but had a similar meaning. 4

There is also a township of Wollaston in the parish of Old Swinford, union of Stourbridge, Lower division of the hundred of Halfshire, Worcestershire. 5

Early History of the Wooliston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wooliston research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1638, 1639, 1643, 1649, 1658, 1659, 1660, 1666, 1674 and 1724 are included under the topic Early Wooliston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wooliston Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wollaston, Woolaston, Wolleston, Woollaston, Woolleston, Woolliston and many more.

Early Notables of the Wooliston family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir John Wollaston (died 1658), an English merchant, Lord Mayor of London in 1643, Sheriff of London (1638-39), Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths Company (1639-40), president of Christ's Hospital (1649.) William Wollaston (1660-1724), was an English moral philosopher, born on 26 March 1659-16660 at Coton-Clanford, Staffordshire, the son of William Wollaston. "The Wollastons were an old Staffordshire family. One, Henry Wollaston (d. 1616), went to London and returned with a fortune made in trade. A dispute between his sons as to the...
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wooliston Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wooliston family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Hugh Wolleston arrived in Virginia in 1607; 13 years before the "Mayflower"; George Woollaston settled in Virginia in 1650; Ann Woolleston settled in Virginia in 1659..



The Wooliston 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: Ne quid falsi
Motto Translation: Nothing false.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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