Whitwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Whitwell is a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Whitwell family lived in any of various places called Whitwell, in Dorset, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and the North Riding of Yorkshire.These place names are derived from the Old English hwi-t, meaning "white," and well meaning a "spring," or "stream."
Early Origins of the Whitwell family
The surname Whitwell was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
Early History of the Whitwell family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whitwell research. Another 156 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1238, 1296, 1719, 1749, 1788 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Whitwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Whitwell Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Whitwell has been recorded under many different variations, including Witwall, Witwell, Whitwell, Whitwel, Whitewell and others.
Early Notables of the Whitwell family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
- John Griffin Whitwell (1719-1797), birth name of Field Marshal John Griffin Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden, 1st Baron Braybrooke...
Whitwell migration to the United States +
To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Whitwells were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:
Whitwell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Samuel Whitwell, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1652 1
- Bameby Whitwell, who landed in Virginia in 1664 1
- John Whitwell, who settled in America in 1675
- Francis Whitwell, aged 40, who arrived in New York in 1680 1
Whitwell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- William Whitwell, who settled in America in 1755
Whitwell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- William H. Whitwell, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1823
- John Whitwell, who landed in New York in 1839 1
Whitwell migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Whitwell Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Richard Whitwell, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
Whitwell migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Whitwell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- William Whitwell, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Caucasian" 2
Contemporary Notables of the name Whitwell (post 1700) +
- Thomas Stedman Whitwell (1784-1840), English architect who worked in England and the United States
- Allan Whitwell (1954-1980), English silver medalist rower at the 1980 Moscow Olympics
- William Fry Whitwell (1867-1942), English amateur first-class cricketer
- Joseph Fry Whitwell (1869-1932), English amateur first-class cricketer
- John Whitwell (1812-1880), English Liberal politician in the House of Commons (1868 to 1880)
- Stephen John Whitwell CMG, H.M., English Diplomatic Service
- Robert Jowitt Whitwell B.Litt. (1859-1928), British medievalist
- Whitwell Elwin (1816-1900), British critic and editor
Citations +
- 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)
- South Australian Register Tuesday 26 April 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Caucasian 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/caucasian1853.shtml