| ![Show Contents]() Wattyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of WattynWhat does the name Wattyn mean? The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Wattyn family, who 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 Wattyn familyThe surname Wattyn 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 Wattyn familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wattyn research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wattyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wattyn Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Wattone, Watone, Wathon, Watton, Watten, Wattan, Whattone, Whatone, Whathon and many more. Early Notables of the Wattyn familyMore information is included under the topic Early Wattyn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wattyn familyMany English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Wattyn 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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