Wright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 


The ancestors of the Wright family derived their name from the "Anglo-Saxon wyrhta [which] signifies, in its widest sense, the same as the Latin faber, a workman of any kind, but more specifically an artificer in hard materials. The eminent antiquary who bears this surname observes, that "Smith was the general term for a worker in metals, and Wright for one who worked in wood and other materials. Hence in the later English period smith became the peculiar name of a blacksmith, and wright of a carpenter, as it is still in Scotland." 1

Early Origins of the Wright family

The surname Wright was first found in Sussex where Patere le Writh was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1214. Years later, the same rolls but in 1255 and this time in Essex, listed Robert le Wrichte in 1255. Richard le Wrete was found in the Assize Rolls for Kent in 1317 and later, Hugh le Wreghte in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327. Thomas le Wrighte was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327 and Walter le Wrytte in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Robert le Wriete in Cambridgeshire; Roger le Wriete in Cambridgeshire; and Margery le Wrytte in Cambridgeshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Adam Wrygson; Robert Wreghtson; and Johannes Redebarn, wryght. 3

"This name is distributed over England, but is comparatively infrequent in the counties on the south coast, and in the northern counties north of Yorkshire. It exists in densest numbers in the counties lying between the Wash and the Thames, being especially numerous in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, and also, but to a less extent, in Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. In the midlands it is nearly as crowded, and has its chief centres in Warwickshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire, etc. It is also very frequent in Lincolnshire and Cheshire, and is somewhat less numerous in Lancashire and Yorkshire. The Wrights have established themselves in Scotland, though in no great numbers, and not usually north of Perthshire.' 4

Early History of the Wright family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wright research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1342, 1590, 1602, 1609, 1611, 1615, 1623, 1634, 1637, 1654, 1657, 1658, 1660, 1664, 1670, 1675, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1687, 1689, 1690, 1721 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Wright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wright Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wright, Right, Write, Wrighte and others.

Early Notables of the Wright family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

Wright World Ranking

In the United States, the name Wright is the 31st most popular surname with an estimated 470,043 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Wright is ranked the 53rd most popular surname with an estimated 37,603 people with that name. 6 And in France, the name Wright is the 7,489th popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 7 Australia ranks Wright as 24th with 51,694 people. 8 New Zealand ranks Wright as 57th with 5,096 people. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Wright as 12nd with 137,986 people. 10 South Africa ranks Wright as 691st with 9,780 people. 11

Migration of the Wright family to Ireland

Some of the Wright family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 132 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Wright migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

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

Wright migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

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

Wright migration to Australia +

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

Wright Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Wright Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Wright Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

Wright 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:

Wright Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Wright 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. 25
Wright Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Wright (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Wright +
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