Wysemant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Wysemant is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name. It was a name given to a person who was a wise or learned person. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English words wis, meaning wise or knowledgeable, and man, meaning man. 1

The family could have ultimately been Norman in origin as "Wisman, of Falaise, Normandy, occurs t. William I. (during the reign of William I)" 2

Early Origins of the Wysemant family

The surname Wysemant was first found in Essex where they "belonging to the distinguished families of Rivenhall, Northend, Great Baddow, Felstead, etc., and played an important part in the county and frequently served as high sheriffs." 3

One of the first records of the family was Ranulph Wisman who witnessed a charter of Beatrix de Say, c. 1140, in favour of Waltham Abbey, Essex. Reginald Wisman, of Essex was listed in 1194. 4

By the 13th century, records of the name were scattered as seen by the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 which listed Roger Wyseinan, Oxfordshire; Alan Wysman, Cambridgeshire; and John Wysman, Oxfordshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes Wysman and Petrus Wysman.

Further to the north in Scotland, Wysemant was "an old surname in Angus and Moray. Andrea Wysman witnessed excambion of the lands of Dolays Mychel in 1232, and in the following year attested a confirmation charter by Andrew, bishop of Moray. " 5

Early History of the Wysemant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wysemant research. Another 235 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1232, 1285, 1296, 1305, 1393, 1484, 1513, 1612, 1622, 1629, 1630, 1632, 1643, 1656, 1661, 1676, 1677, 1679, 1685, 1688 and 1712 are included under the topic Early Wysemant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wysemant Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Wysemant has appeared include Wiseman, Wyseman, Wysman, Wisman and others.

Early Notables of the Wysemant family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Simon Wyssman, knighted in 1513 by King Henry 8th as a result of Sir John's bravery in action at the Battle of Spurs in the Hundred Years War; Sir Thomas Wiseman of Rivenhall, Essex; and his son, Sir William Wiseman, 1st Baronet (c.1629-1688), an...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wysemant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wysemant family to Ireland

Some of the Wysemant 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 Wysemant family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Wysemant arrived in North America very early: Henry and Catherine Wiseman, who settled in Maryland in 1634; John Wiseman, who settled in Virginia in 1652; Henry Wiseman, who settled in Maryland in 1719.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)