Webber History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Germany 
  Ireland 


The distinguished surname Webber emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. Occupational surnames were derived from the common trades of the medieval era. The surname Webber is an occupational name for a person who made his living as a weaver of cloth. The surname Webber is a derivative of the Old English word web, which means web or weaver.

Early Origins of the Webber family

The surname Webber was first found in Somerset where they were one of the many Flemish industrialist families who settled in the west country in the 13th century. John le Webber was listed in the Feet of Fines of Essex in 1255; and later Hugo le Webbere was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327. 1 The Calendarium Inquisitionum Post Mortem listed: Robert le Webber; and Clarice le Webbere. 2

Early History of the Webber family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Webber research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1751 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Webber History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Webber Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Webber, Weber and others.

Early Notables of the Webber family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Webber World Ranking

In the United States, the name Webber is the 1,113rd most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 3 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Webber is ranked the 738th most popular surname with an estimated 58 people with that name. 4 And in Australia, the name Webber is the 585th popular surname with an estimated 6,646 people with that name. 5 New Zealand ranks Webber as 415th with 1,587 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Webber as 554th with 11,727 people. 7

Migration of the Webber family to Ireland

Some of the Webber 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.


Webber migration to the United States +

Early immigration records have shown some of the first Webbers to arrive on North American shores:

Webber Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Webber Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Webber Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Webber migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Webber Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Webber Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Webber migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Webber Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Webber migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Webber Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Webber migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 20
Webber Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Webber (post 1700) +


The Webber 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: Liliae praelucent telis
Motto Translation: Lillies outshine weapons of war.


Suggested Readings for the name Webber +
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