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The surname Wilsher was first found in Durham where the first record of the name was of William Walcher (died 1080), Bishop of Durham (1070-1080). He was appointed by William the Conqueror to hold that see and was the first non-Englishman to hold the position. The Scottish invasion in 1079 by Malcolm III, plundered Northumberland for about three weeks.
Wallcher with over one hundred retainers for safety tried to resolve the wrongs but the Northumbrians attacked the Norman party. Wallcher led retreat to a nearby church proved fruitless as the party were forced out when the church was set afire. They were all killed when they left the blazing church. This same person is recorded as Walcher de Lorraine in the Domesday Book census of 1086. William de Wallichville was given lands at the conquest in Derbyshire and is son given lordships at Nottinghamshire after the Domesday Book in 1086. 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wilsher research. Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wilsher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Walchar, Walcher, Wallichville, Valecherville, Wallich and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Wilsher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Wilsher or a variant listed above: