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Watrous History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Watrous History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Watrous is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Watrous family lived in Lincolnshire, at Waterhouse. This place-name indicates that the original bearer lived in a house located near a body of water. 1 2

Early Origins of the Watrous family

The surname Watrous was first found in Lincolnshire where Guy de Craon held the lands of Kirton from Count Alan at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066. His successor was known as Ab Aquae Domo or Sir Gilbert Waterhouse. 3

"The source of the name of Waterhouse is a little doubtful. Waterhouses is the name of a place in the neighbouring county of Stafford, and of a village in the county of Durham. De Watenhou was a Nottinghamshire family name in the 13th century. An ancient Lincolnshire family of Waterhouse traced their descent from Sir Gilbert Waterhouse, of Kirton, in the reign of Henry III.. 3 Another ancient family of Waterhouse lived at Halifax in the West Riding; a branch, to which belonged the vicar of Bradford in the middle of the 17th century, was located at Tooting, Surrey, in the time of James I. 4

One of the first records in early rolls was Adam de Waterhous who was listed in Yorkshire in 1308. 5

Early History of the Watrous family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Watrous research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1535, 1582, 1588, 1591, 1602, 1619 and 1670 are included under the topic Early Watrous History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Watrous Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Watehouse, Waterhouse and others.

Early Notables of the Watrous family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Edward Waterhouse (1535-1591), Chancellor of the Exchequer in Ireland. He was born at Helmstedbury, Hertfordshire and the youngest son of John Waterhouse of Whitechurch, Buckinghamshire, and Margaret, daughter of Henry Turner of Blunt's Hall in Suffolk. "His father was sometime auditor to Henry VIII, and a family tradition relates that the king, one day visiting him, 'gave a Benjamin's portion of dignation to this Edward, foretelling by his royal augury that he would be the crown of them all, and a man of great honour and wisdom, fit for the service of...
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Watrous Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Watrous family to Ireland

Some of the Watrous family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Watrous migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Watrous or a variant listed above:

Watrous Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

R. Watrous, aged 34, who arrived in America from England, in 1893
Amalia Watrous, aged 25, who arrived in America, in 1894
Chas. A. Watrous, aged 30, who arrived in America, in 1894
Mrs. W. W. Watrous, aged 27, who arrived in America, in 1896
W. W. Watrous, aged 29, who arrived in America, in 1896
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Watrous Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Jerry Watrous, aged 17, who arrived in America, in 1906
Marie Watrous, aged 37, who arrived in America, in 1906
Lee Watrous, aged 19, who arrived in America, in 1908
Harry Watrous, aged 38, who arrived in America, in 1908
Mrs. Ralph C. Watrous, aged 48, who arrived in America, in 1908
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Watrous migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Watrous Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Liberty Watrous, who landed in Canada in 1837

Contemporary Notables of the name Watrous (post 1700) +

William Russell Watrous III (1939-2018), American jazz trombonist
Jerome Anthony Watrous (1840-1922), American author, newspaper writer, politician, and soldier
Malena Watrous, American novelist, essayist, short story writer and educator
John S. Watrous (d. 1897), American politician, 9th Speaker of the Minnesota Territory House of Representatives (1857-1858)
John Charles Watrous (1801-1874), United States federal judge and former Attorney General of Texas
Ansel Watrous (1838-1911), American newspaper editor and historian, known for his History of Larimer County, Colorado, published in 1911
Albert Andrew "Al" Watrous (1899-1983), American professional PGA golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1920s and 1930s
John Harrison Watrous, Canadian professor of computer science at the University of Waterloo, editor of the journal Theory of Computing

The Watrous 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: Veritas vincit omnia
Motto Translation: Truth Conquers All.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)