Waral History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Waral has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in Worral, a place in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 2 The place-name Worral is composed of the Old English elements wir, which means "myrtle" and halh, which means "nook or corner of land." The place-name translates as "nook of land where bog-myrtle grows." 3

Alternatively the name could have originated at Wirral, in Cheshire. 4

Early Origins of the Waral family

The surname Waral was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire, at Worrall, a small rural village and parish which dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Wihale, part of the lands held by Roger de Busli. By 1218, some records show the village's name as Wirhal. 3 Today it is within the boundaries of the City of Sheffield and has a population of about 1,306 as of 2006. At one time, Knotty-Ash House in Lancashire was the property of the Worrall family. 5

One of the first records of the family was Roger de Wyrhal, who was listed in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219. Records in Sheffield, South Yorkshire list Richard de Wyrall in 1351 and William Worrall in 1517. 6

Early History of the Waral family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Waral research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1388, 1586, 1590, 1614, 1630, 1664, 1705 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Waral History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Waral Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Waral have been found, including Worrall, Worral, Worrell, Worrel, Worrill, Worril and others.

Early Notables of the Waral family

More information is included under the topic Early Waral Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Waral family to Ireland

Some of the Waral family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Waral family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Waral, or a variant listed above: Peter and Mary Worral settled in Pennsylvania in 1687; Martha Worrall settled in Philadelphia in 1682; Richard Worrall settled in Pennsylvania in 1699.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)