Show ContentsWhatlingtomb History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought the Whatlingtomb family name to the British Isles. Whatlingtomb comes from the Germanic personal name Walter. The name is composed of the elements wald, meaning rule and heri, meaning army.

Early Origins of the Whatlingtomb family

The surname Whatlingtomb was first found in Sussex where they were conjecturally descended from the village of Wartling or Whatlington, held at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book survey by William by the Count of Eu 1. The hamlet consisted of 3 salt houses at that time. Although other historians conjecture that it was related to Watling Street, the great Roman Way which winds northward in England to Chester and the north, this seems impractical. Derived from this is also Watlington, "ton" meaning a hamlet. The many other explanations of the origin of this name such as the trade name of 'watling', a form of wall and roof construction of houses in ancient times, can be discounted as too general for such an isolated name. If this were the origin, Watling would be as popular and prolific as Carpenter and many other house building trade surnames. Watlington is a parish located in Norfolk and Oxfordshire. The latter has a most interesting history. The place name is supposed to have been derived from the Saxon Watelar, meaning "hurdles" or " wattles," alluding to the way in which the Britons are described to have built their towns, " as groves fenced in with hewn trees." It is traditionally said that a military chest of money was left at the house of Robert Parslow, in the town, and never afterwards claimed, in consequence of which he bequeathed a liberal donation to the poor of the parish. 2

Early History of the Whatlingtomb family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whatlingtomb research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1296, 1332, 1681, 1688, 1695, 1711 and 1792 are included under the topic Early Whatlingtomb History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whatlingtomb 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 Watling, Whatling, Watlington, Watlingtone, Whatlington and many more.

Early Notables of the Whatlingtomb family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John (George) Watling (died 1681), an English buccaneer who claimed to have never plundered on the Sabbath and refused...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whatlingtomb Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whatlingtomb 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 Whatlingtomb or a variant listed above: Ffrances Watling who settled in Virginia in 1660; John Watling landed in America in 1753; James Watling settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1842.



The Whatlingtomb 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: Corde manuque
Motto Translation: With heart and hand.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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