Show ContentsWelldine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Welldine was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Welldine family lived in Northamptonshire, at Weldon.

Early Origins of the Welldine family

The surname Welldine was first found in Northamptonshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Weldon, and are conjecturally descended from Robert de Bucy, a Norman Baron who acquired Weldon, an ancient Roman villa, from Olaf, from King William for his assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

"The Tower, the manorial seat of the ancient family of Welton [in Northumberland], is fast going to decay; there are still remaining in tolerable preservation, two handsome rooms with Oriel windows. The Hall, an ancient mansion which, according to an inscription on the walls, was repaired in 1614, is still occupied." 1

Welton is also a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire which literally means "farmstead by a spring or stream." 2

Early History of the Welldine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Welldine research. Another 30 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1352, 1362, 1583, 1603, 1648, 1649, 1650, 1674, 1676, 1713, 1723 and 1736 are included under the topic Early Welldine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Welldine Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Welldine have been found, including Weldon, Veldon, Velton and others.

Early Notables of the Welldine family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Gilbert Welton (or Gilbert de Wilton), Bishop of Carlisle (1352-1362); Sir Anthony Weldon (1583-1648), an English 17th Century courtier and politician, purported author of "The Court and Character of King James I."; and John Weldon (1676-1736), an English composer. Sir Anthony Weldon (d. 1649?), was an "English historical writer, of Swanscombe, Kent, descended from a younger branch of the family of Weltden of Northumberland. His father, Sir Ralph Weldon, knighted on 24 July 1603, was clerk of the Green Cloth to Queen Elizabeth and James I. His eldest...
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Welldine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Welldine family to Ireland

Some of the Welldine family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Welldine family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Welldine were among those contributors: William Weldon who settled in Virginia in 1619; another William Weldon who settled in Virginia in 1624; Ann Weldon settled in Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia in 1774 with her children, Andrew, Elizabeth, Thomas, and Ann.



The Welldine 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: Bene factum
Motto Translation: Benefits


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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