Wellington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Wellington surname is classed as a habitation name; that is, one derived from a pre-existing place name. There are several places in various counties so named in Britain. In Old English they were "Weolingatun," meaning settlement of the "Wellings," thought to be a tribal name.
Early Origins of the Wellington family
The surname Wellington was first found in Shropshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1209 when Roger Wellington held estates in that shire.
Early History of the Wellington family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wellington research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1455, 1487 and 1524 are included under the topic Early Wellington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Wellington Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Wellington, Wellinton, Willington, Willinton, Welington and many more.
Early Notables of the Wellington family
Distinguished members of the family include
Wellington Ranking
In the United States, the name Wellington is the 6,140th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1
Wellington migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Wellington Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Roger Wellington who landed in Massachusetts in 1642
- Roger Wellington, who landed in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1642 2
- Natha Wellington, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 2
- Martha Wellington, who arrived in Virginia in 1653
- James Wellington, who landed in Virginia in 1664 2
Wellington Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- George Wellington, a bonded passenger who settled in America in 1758
Wellington Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Richard Wellington, a convict who arrived in 1818 aboard the "Morley"
- Peter, Walter, William and John Wellington, who, who arrived in Victoria in that same year aboard the "Mary Anne"
- F Wellington, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
- H Wellington, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
- Matthew Wellington, who arrived in Victoria aboard the "Stebonheath" in 1853
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Wellington migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Wellington Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Sparoe Wellington, who arrived in Canada in 1830
- Josiah Dix Wellington, who was naturalized in Upper Canada in 1836
- Josiah Dix Wellington, who landed in Canada in 1836
Wellington migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Wellington Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. Benjamin Wellington who was convicted in Westminster, Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dick" on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
- Mr. Matthew Wellington, (b. 1832), aged 21, Cornish agricultural labourer departing from Plymouth on 7th October 1852 aboard the ship "Stebonheath" arriving in Geelong, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 18th January 1853 4
- John Wellington, aged 38, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Standard" 5
- Abraham Wellington, aged 29, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "John Banks" 6
- Mr. Richard Wellington, (b. 1836), aged 20, Cornish farm servant departing from Plymouth on 31st August 1856 aboard the ship "Severn" arriving in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 9th December 1856 4
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Wellington 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:
Wellington Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Ruth Wellington, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Excelsior" in 1870 7
- Dora Wellington, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Excelsior" in 1870 7
- John Wellington, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "England" in 1872 7
- Emmeline Wellington, aged 20, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "England" in 1872 7
- Mr. William Wellington, (b. 1849), aged 28, Cornish farm labourer departing on 16th September 1877 aboard the ship "Hurunui" going to Taranaki, New Zealand arriving in port on 17th December 1878 8
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Wellington (post 1700) +
- George Louis Wellington (1852-1927), American politician, U.S. Senator from Maryland (1897-1903)
- William S. Wellington, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1952 9
- Jim Wellington, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State House of Representatives 45th District, 1978 9
- George Louis Wellington (1852-1927), American politician, Member of Republican National Committee from Maryland, 1896; Maryland Republican State Chair, 1896-97; U.S. Senator from Maryland, 1897-1903 9
- George B. Wellington, American Republican politician, Member of New York State Senate 29th District, 1916-18 9
- D. Gerry Wellington, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Madison County 1st District, 1868, 1875; Delegate to New York State Constitutional Convention 24th District, 1894 9
- Claire S. Wellington, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1980 9
- Arthur J. Wellington, American Republican politician, Member of Massachusetts State House of Representatives Thirteenth Middlesex District, 1905 9
- Alice H. Wellington, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1940 9
- Abram Wellington, American politician, First Selectman of Stratford, Connecticut, 1920 9
- ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Wellington family +
SS Atlantic
- H. M. Wellington, American traveler who was aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
- Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
- South Australian Register Monday 18th December 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Standard 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/standard1854.shtml
- South Australian Register Wednesday 30th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) John Banks 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/johnbanks1855.shtml
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to other ports, 1872 - 84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html