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Wedderspoon History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Wedderspoon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

Wedderspoon is a name that dates back to the kingdom of Dalriada in ancient Scotland. It was given to someone who lived in various places throughout Scotland. It may have been a habitation name from a now lost place name, thought to come from the Old English terms wether, which means "sheep," and "spong," or from spang, which means "a narrow strip of land." 1 Habitation names form a broad category of surnames that were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Wedderspoon family

The surname Wedderspoon was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland.

The first record of the family was found c. 1290 when Roger Wythirspon, clerk, attested a grant by James the High Steward of lands in Renfrew. 1

The family acquired business interests in Glasgow, and also were tenants of the Cupar Angus Abbey.

In 1496, a payment was thus noted: "Widderspune the foulare that tald talis and brocht foulis to the king." Later, John Wyddirspwn was tenant of Dalbeth in 1518 and a tenant of Cupar-Angus Abbey, c. 1500, was named Wychthirspone. 1

Further to the south in England, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Adam Wytherpyn and Adam Wyerpin in Norfolk. Later in 1379, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls listed Johannes Withspone and Willelmus Wythspone. The reference The History of Norfolk notes John Wetherpyn was vicar of Thrickby, Norfolk in 1419. 2 Interestingly, the last author comments: "I can make nothing out of this surname, and leave it to the consideration of more enlightened students. I can furnish them with materials, but that is all. My Yorkshire references clearly represent some of its ancestors." 2 We can only presume that this learned gentleman had not considered Yorkshire's close proximity to Scotland and a presumable migration from there.

Early History of the Wedderspoon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wedderspoon research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1521, 1546, 1547, 1548, 1643, 1646, 1722, 1768, 1792, 1794, 1820, 1850, 1866, 1873, 1894 and 1921 are included under the topic Early Wedderspoon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wedderspoon Spelling Variations

Spelling in the medieval era was a highly imprecise process. Translation, particularly from Gaelic to English, was little better. For these reasons, early Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. In various documents Wedderspoon has been spelled Wotherspoon, Witherspoon, Weatherspoon, Wetherspoon and many more.

Early Notables of the Wedderspoon family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Samuel Wilderspin (1792?-1866), joint-founder of the infant school system in England, was the son of Alexander Wilderspin, and was born at Hornsey, Middlesex, in or about 1792. He began life as a clerk in a merchant's office, but left this occupation to devote himself to the development of infant schools. He was not the originator of the system, the credit of which is generally given to Oberlin, pastor of Waldbach in Alsace, and, in Great Britain, to Robert Owen of New Lanark. But when Lord Brougham and...
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wedderspoon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wedderspoon migration to the United States +

Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Wedderspoon or a variant listed above:

Wedderspoon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Wedderspoon, who landed in New York in 1850 3

Wedderspoon Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

William R. Wedderspoon, aged 27, arrived in New York in 1908 aboard the ship "Celtic" from Liverpool, England 4
Richard Wedderspoon, aged 30, settling in Chicago, IL, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "France" from LE HAVRE 4
Lorena Wedderspoon, aged 26, settling in Chicago, IL, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "France" from LE HAVRE 4
Julia Constance Wedderspoon, aged 29, originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, arrived in New York in 1922 aboard the ship "Scythia" from Liverpool, England 4

Wedderspoon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Wedderspoon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Wedderspoon, British settler travelling from London with his brother aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 5
Mr. Andrew Wedderspoon, (b. 1835), aged 38, Scottish joiner born in Abernethy, Perthshire travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Wild Deer" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th March 1874 6
Mrs. Janet Wedderspoon née Sandilands, (b. 1835), aged 38, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Wild Deer" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th March 1874 6
Mr. Andrew Wedderspoon, Jr., (b. 1857), aged 16, Scottish blacksmith born in Abernethy, Perthshire travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Wild Deer" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th March 1874 6
Mr. William Wedderspoon, (b. 1858), aged 15, Scottish engineer born in Abernethy, Perthshire travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Wild Deer" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th March 1874 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wedderspoon (post 1700) +

Alexander Gillan "Alex" Wedderspoon (d. 2014), British Anglican priest, Dean of Guildford (1987-2001)

The Wedderspoon 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: Deo juvante
Motto Translation: By God’s assistance.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html