Wellesley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Wellesley family

The surname Wellesley was first found in Somerset where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1220 when Christiana Welleslegh held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Wellesley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wellesley research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1443, 1455, 1470, 1487, 1502, 1529, 1538 and 1539 are included under the topic Early Wellesley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wellesley Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Wellesley were recorded, including Wellersley, Wellesley, Wellsley, Wellesleghe and many more.

Early Notables of the Wellesley family

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

Migration of the Wellesley family to Ireland

Some of the Wellesley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wellesley migration to Australia +

Wellesley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Wellesley, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asiatic" on 26th May 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Wellesley (post 1700) +

Charles Wellesley (1873-1946), American actor
Richard Wellesley (1760-1842), 1st Marquess Wellesley, Irish peer, statesman, and Governor-General of India
Henry Wellesley (1773-1847), 1st Baron Cowley, Irish diplomat
Lord George Wellesley (1889-1967), British soldier
Lady Elizabeth Wellesley (b. 1918), British socialite
Elizabeth Wellesley (1820-1904), Duchess of Wellington, Mistress of the Robes
Lord Charles Wellesley (1808-1858), British politician
Charles Wellesley (b. 1945), 9th Duke of Wellington, British politician and businessman
Valerian Wellesley (1915-2014), 8th Duke of Wellington, British soldier
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asiatic