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![Show Contents]() Wulfersten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Wulfersten is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wulfersten family lived in Suffolk, at Wolverston. The surname Wulfersten was originally derived from the Old English elements wulf, meaning wolf, and tun, meaning settlement or enclosure. The name was originally Wulkton, and gradually evolved into its current form. Early Origins of the Wulfersten familyThe surname Wulfersten was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Woolverstone. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book, 1 a survey initiated by Duke William of Normandy in the year 1086 A.D. after his conquest of England in 1066, Woolverstone was held by a Norman Noble, Robert Gernon, and as was the Norman custom, the second son adopted the name of the manor or village for his surname. At the survey Woolverstone was a village, with a church, 12 beasts, 30 pigs, 100 sheep and 36 goats. The Church was rebuilt by Sir Gilbert Scott in the 19th century. Early History of the Wulfersten familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wulfersten research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1492, 1525, 1570, 1582 and 1592 are included under the topic Early Wulfersten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wulfersten Spelling VariationsMultitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Wolferstan, Wolferstone, Wolverstone, Wolverston, Wolversdon, Wolversden, Wolversdan, Wolferston, Woolferstone, Woolverston and many more. Early Notables of the Wulfersten familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Mary Wolverston, better known as Lady Killigrew (c. 1525-1582), a Suffolk woman who was accused of piracy during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. As the story goes, whenever her husband went to sea, Mary engaged in piracy using the staff of her castle (Arwenack Castle in Cornwall) as...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wulfersten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wulfersten familyBecause of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Wulfersten or a variant listed above: Benjamin Wolverston and Elizabeth Wolverstone who settled in Barbados with their servants in 1679.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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