Wagstaf History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Early Origins of the Wagstaf family

Early History of the Wagstaf family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wagstaf 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 Wagstaf History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wagstaf Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Wagstaf include Wagstaffe, Waggstaffe, Wagstaff and others.

Early Notables of the Wagstaf 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 Englis...
• 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...
• Thomas Wagstaffe (1645-1712), was an English nonjuror, who belonged to a family long settled in the county of Warwick, born on 13 Feb. 1645 at Binley in Warwickshire
• William Wagstaffe (1685-1725), was an English physician, born at Cublington in Buckinghamshire, of which his father, a younger son of the ancient family of his name, seated at Knightcote in Warwichshi...

Migration of the Wagstaf family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: 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..