Wassall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Wassall family

The surname Wassall was first found in Wasdale, or Nether Wasdale, a chapelry, in the parish of St. Bees, union of Whitehaven in Cumberland. Wasdale-Head is a chapelry, nit far from Wasdale. 1

The earliest spelling of the place name was Wastedale in 1279 in the Hundredorum Rolls. By 1334, the place name was known as Wascedaleheved and literally meant "valley of the water or lake". 2

As far as the surname is concerned, it could also have been a Norman name as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae of 1180 listed Roger and Hugh Wastel living in Normandy at that time. 3

However, another source notes that the name could also have derived from a type of "fine bread" or "wassail-bowl" as Chaucer notes as "Prioress fed her hounds with Wastel brede." 4

Exploring the origins of the name in ancient Britain led to the year 1182 when Ralph Wastel held lands in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. Soon thereafter the family branched north to Westmorland where they acquired Wastell-head. Ralph and Richard Wastel were listed the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 5

The Wacelin variant has a slightly different origin. "Gacelin, or Wazelin, probably a noble of Anjou, held lands from Geoffrey de Wirce in Lincoln 1086. John Wascelin was of Lincoln 1189, and Reginald held of Crevecoeur 6. Geofifry Gascelyn was summoned to parliament by writ, 1259. " 3

"This must have been the Geoffrey Watelin or Wacelin entered in the Hundred Rolls, c. 1272, as seated in Norfolk, who was a benefactor of Jerveaulx Abbey. The family continued in Lincolnshire for a considerable time. Richard de Wacelyn or Walkelin, 28 Hen. III, held in Foteburne, in that county, by the serjeanty of finding (with two others) one balistar, with six quarrels and a sumpter horse, in the King's army, for forty days." 7

Early History of the Wassall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wassall research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1406, 1410, 1455, 1460, 1487, 1515, 1592, 1599, 1602, 1623 and 1632 are included under the topic Early Wassall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wassall Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wastell, Wastall, Wassell, Washtell, Wassall, Gastell, Westell, Wastoile, Westoile, Waistell, Wassell, Wessel, Wessell and many more.

Early Notables of the Wassall family

Distinguished members of the family include Robert Wastell (fl. 1406-1410) from Totnes, Devon, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Totnes in 1406 and 1410; and John Wastell (1460-1515), English Gothic architect responsible for Manchester Cathedral, parts of King's College Chapel, Cambridge, the crossing tower (Bell Harry Tower) of Canterbury Cathedral, and the fan vaulted section of Peterborough Cathedral. Simon Wastell (died 1632), was a...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wassall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wassall family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Nicholas Westell, who was a child apprentice sent to Antigua (Antego) in 1721; Patience Westell, a bonded emigrant who settled came to Annapolis, MD in 1729.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
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