Wallton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Wallton belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in one of the many places called Walton found throughout England. The surname Wallton belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Wallton family

The surname Wallton was first found in Somerset at Walton-In-Gordano, a parish, in the union of Bedminster, hundred of Portbury. "This manor was owned by Ralph de Mortimer, kinsman of William the Conqueror; some of his family were earls of March, and under them the manor was held for several generations by Richard de Walton and his descendants." 1

However, some of the family also held estates at Walton-On-The-Hill in Lancashire from early times. "In the time of Edward the Confessor, Winestan, a Saxon, held Waletone; and soon after the Conquest a family named Waleton or Walton is mentioned as having possessions here. By a charter of the 2nd of John, the king granted all his land in Waleton to Richard de Mida, son of Gilbert de Waleton; and the same family is named in connexion with various legal acts in subsequent reigns. In the 15th century, Roger Walton died without male issue, and his two daughters carried their inheritance to their husbands." 1

Simon de Wauton, Watton, Walton or Walthone (d. 1266), Bishop of Norwich was probably a native of Walton d'Eiville, Warwickshire and was "one of the clerks of King John, and received from him the church of St. Andrew, Hastings, on 9 April 1206, and two other livings in the two following years." 2

Early History of the Wallton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wallton research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1351, 1370, 1410, 1437, 1490, 1535, 1553, 1555, 1560, 1593, 1594, 1600, 1624, 1661, 1665, 1683, 1690, 1692, 1739, 1903 and 1995 are included under the topic Early Wallton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wallton Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Wallton include Walton, Waltone and others.

Early Notables of the Wallton family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Thomas Walton, British Knight who bravely fought at the Combat of the Thirty on March 26th, 1351.Another Sir Thomas Walton (1370?-1437?), was Speaker of the House of Commons, born probably about 1370, was son of John de Walton of Great Staughton, Huntingdonshire. 2John Walton (fl. 1410), was an English poet and another John Walton (d. 1490?) was Archbishop of Dublin. Izaak Walton (1593-1683), was an English writer, best known as the author of The Compleat (Complete) Angler. Brian Walton (1600-1661), was an English cleric and scholar, Bishop...
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wallton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wallton family to Ireland

Some of the Wallton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wallton migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Wallton were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Wallton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Wallton, who arrived in Maryland in 1662 3

The Wallton Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Murus aeneus virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue is a wall of brass.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)