Waggstaffe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Early Origins of the Waggstaffe family

Early History of the Waggstaffe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Waggstaffe research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1612, 1618, 1633, 1642, 1645, 1655, 1662, 1677, 1685, 1697, 1712 and 1725 are included under the topic Early Waggstaffe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Waggstaffe Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Waggstaffe include Wagstaffe, Waggstaffe, Wagstaff and others.

Early Notables of the Waggstaffe family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Wagstaffe (1633-1677), an English writer on witchcraft who held an estate at Hasland in Derbyshire; and John Wagstaffe (1618-1697), of Ladybellegate House, Longsmith Street, Gloucester, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Gloucester in 1685. Sir Joseph Wagstaffe (fl. 1655), English Royalist, born about 1612, was probably the seventh and youngest son of Richard Wagstaffe of Herberbury in Warwickshire. "Joseph was a soldier of fortune, and at the beginning of 1642 was major in an Irish regiment in the service of France. In 1655 the Western Royalists asked for Wagstaffe to be...
Another 126 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Waggstaffe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Waggstaffe family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Waggstaffe or a variant listed above: Mary Wagstaff settled in Virginia in 1655 with her husband; William Wagstaff settled in Rappahannock in Virginia in 1728; Richard Wagstaffe settled in Annapolis Maryland in 1750..