Wesgate History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Wesgate family

The surname Wesgate was first found in either Durham, Kent, Northumberland or Wiltshire where Westgate is more often than not a village or parish. There are two very early records of the name: William de Westgat who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Surrey in 1199 and Peter de Westgate of Canterbury who was listed in the Pipe Rolls in 1198. The latter "no doubt lived near the west gate of the city." 1 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: William de Westgate in Norfolk; and Berthona de Westgate in Kent. 2 While one would presume that this name has consistently held the same spelling through the years referring to one who lives by the "west gate" of a town or village, interestingly Westgate on Sea, Kent was first spelt Westgata in 1168. 3

Early History of the Wesgate family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wesgate research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Wesgate History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wesgate Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Westgate, Wesgate, Westegate and others.

Early Notables of the Wesgate family

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

Migration of the Wesgate family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: settlers who were recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)