Weelde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Weelde is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Weelde family lived in Lancashire, at the manor of Wheelton. Other records show "Great and Little Weldon are parishes in co. Northampton" 1 and "Weldon, [having] two parishes in the Diocese of Peterborough, Norfolk." 2

Early Origins of the Weelde family

The surname Weelde was first found in Lancashire at Wheelton, a village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley which dates back to c. 1160 when it was listed as Weltona. The place name literally means "farmstead with a water-wheel," from the Old English "hweol" + "tun." 3

The earliest record of the name was fond during the reign of Henry III, or perhaps earlier, where Henry de Quelton granted Sir Adam de Hocton, for the annual rent of one barbed arrow, or four marks, at Michaelmas, all his lands in the town of "Quelton." 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Geoffrey de Weldone, Huntingdonshire; Lucas de Weldon, Lincolnshire; and Hugh de Weledon, Lincolnshire. 2

"The Whieldons or Wheeldons of Staffordshire are mostly gathered together in the district of Stoke-on-Trent. Francis Wheeldon, gent., was an opulent farmer of Hounhill, Hanbury, in the latter half of last century. " 5

Early History of the Weelde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Weelde research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1596, 1600, 1787 and 1839 are included under the topic Early Weelde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Weelde 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 Whieldon, Wheeldon, Wheelton, Whielton, Weelton, Weeldon, Wieldon, Weildon, Weilton, Wheildon, Whilldon, Whildon, Whilden and many more.

Early Notables of the Weelde family

More information is included under the topic Early Weelde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Weelde family

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 Weelde or a variant listed above: W. Whilldin, who sailed to New York in 1824.

The Weelde 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: Virtus praestantior auro
Motto Translation: Virtue is more excellent than gold.

Citations +

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)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.