Show ContentsWaddeville History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Waddeville

What does the name Waddeville mean?

The name Waddeville was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Waddeville family lived in Valtierville, in the Seine-Inferieur region of France, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1

Early Origins of the Waddeville family

The surname Waddeville was first found in Northampton where they were Lords of the manor of Waterfield, and descended from a Norman noble from Waterville in Normandy. The sire of the family was John de Wateville who was succeeded by Sir Roger de Wateville, and then Sir Geffrey Wateville. William de Waterville, abbot of Peterborough founded a Benedictine nunnery in St. Martin's, Northamptonshire in honour of our Lady St. Mary and St. Michael temp. Henry II. 2

Wilielmus de Watevilla is a witness to a charter of Robert de Mellent to the Abbey of Jumieges, about the time of the Norman survey; and he himself gave to that monastery, with the consent of his wife, the church, fair, and tithes of Croixman, in the Pays de Caux. It is apparent, from the accounts of the Norman Exchequer Rolls, that in 1195, Vatteville was a Royal residence, when the King hunted in the forest of Vatteville. Among the items furnished by its custodian, Robert d'Appeville, are 'four nets to catch wild boars, two tunics for the use of two dog-keepers,'. Three De Watevilles are entered in Domesday: William, who held of the King in Essex and Suffolk, and Percinges (Perching) of William de Warrenne, with two other manors—one of which was Brighton—in Sussex; Robert, who held de capite in Surrey, with five manors in other counties, under Richard de Tonbridge; and Richard, an under-tenant in Surrey." 3

Early History of the Waddeville family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Waddeville research. Another 168 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1144, 1155, 1158 and 1292 are included under the topic Early Waddeville History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Waddeville Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Waddeville are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Waddeville include Waterfield, Waterfall, Wateville, Waterville and others.

Early Notables of the Waddeville family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Waddeville Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Waddeville family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Waddeville, or a variant listed above: Robert and Mary Waterfield settled in Jamaica in 1685; Benjamin Waterfall settled in Philadelphia in 1848.



  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3


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