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![Show Contents]() Wathon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Wathon is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wathon family lived in Nottingham, at Whatton. The name of this town derives from the Old English words hvaete, meaning wheat, and tun, meaning settlement or enclosure. [1] Early Origins of the Wathon familyThe surname Wathon was first found in Nottingham where a Norman noble, Robert de Watone, the youngest son of Gaitier de Tirell, Seigneur de Poix in Picardy, was granted the Lordship of Wattone in the Vale in that shire, and it was shown in the Domesday Survey of 1086. [2] Today, there are numerous places in Britain by the name Watton: Watton, Devon; Watton, East Riding of Yorkshire; Watton, Norfolk; and Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire. Early History of the Wathon familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wathon research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wathon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wathon Spelling VariationsMultitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Wattone, Watone, Wathon, Watton, Watten, Wattan, Whattone, Whatone, Whathon and many more. Early Notables of the Wathon family (pre 1700)More information is included under the topic Early Wathon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wathon familyBecause of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Wathon or a variant listed above: John Watton who settled in Virginia in 1623; followed by another John Watton in Virginia in 1656; Thomas Watton settled in Virginia in 1639; another Thomas arrived in Baltimore in 1775.
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: Fidei coticula crux
Motto Translation: The cross is the test of truth.
- 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)
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