Wringrose History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Wringrose is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wringrose family lived in Yorkshire. The name is thought to be a combination of the names of two areas, Ringborough and Roos, both of which were held by the same tenant in Chief. Since it was the Norman custom for all but the first son to take the name of the land which the family held it is thought that the name is a rare combined derivation.

Early Origins of the Wringrose family

The surname Wringrose was first found in Yorkshire but the ancient origin of this name is obscure. 1 The first on record is John Ringerose who was listed in Norwich in 1259. John Ringros was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Cumberland in 1332 and Thomas Ryngotherose was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in the same year. 2

Stephen Ryngros was Chaplain of St. Mary's in Scarborough in Yorkshire in the year 1582. Conjecturally they may be of Norse origin, from Hringr, but this would date back so far that for all intents and purposes they would have become immersed in the Norman culture. The name, however, seems to have caught the attention and imagination of the first Queen Elizabeth, for she commanded a Hampshire gentleman to adopt the name of Colonel John Ringrose about the same year and bade him journey to Ireland to seek his fortune. The Irish herald, however, claims he was from Yorkshire, and settled in East Clare in the south of Ireland.

At the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 there were two villages in the East Riding of Yorkshire, one Ringborough and the other Roos. Both of these villages were held by a Norman noble and tenant-in-chief, Drogo de Beuvriere, 3 and, as it was the custom for junior sons to take the surname of their village, the name may have derived from a combination of these two village names and be directly descended from Drogo Ring-Roos.

Early History of the Wringrose family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wringrose research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1678 and 1686 are included under the topic Early Wringrose History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wringrose Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Ringrose, Ryngrose, Ryngerose, Ringerose and others.

Early Notables of the Wringrose family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Stephen Ryngros, Chaplain of St. Mary's, in Scarborough in Yorkshire. Mention should also be made of the infamous Basil Ringrose (d.1686) the noted buccaneer, navigator, geographer and author. He died during...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wringrose Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wringrose family to Ireland

Some of the Wringrose family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wringrose family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Wringrose or a variant listed above: John Ringerose who landed in North America in 1700.

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)