Whitteby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Whitteby family lived in Yorkshire, at Whitby. "This place was called by the Saxons Streanes-heale, which Bede interprets Sinus Phari, or "the bay of the lighthouse;" and in the Domesday Survey is styled Whitteby, or "the white town. It owes its origin to the foundation of a monastery here by Oswy, King of Northumbria, in fulfillment of a vow made prior to the battle of Winwidfield, in which he defeated and killed Penda, the pagan king of Mercia, who had invaded his territories in 655. " 1

Early Origins of the Whitteby family

The surname Whitteby was first found in Yorkshire where they are believed to be descended from William de Percy, the most heroic of Norman nobles who held the lands of Whitby, in the East Riding of York, from 1066. He went to the first Crusade in 1096 and died at Mountjoy near Jerusalem.

Early rolls confirm Yorkshire as the first stronghold of the family as Tiece de Witebi was listed there in the Pipe Rolls of 1181. Later Thomas de Whiteby was listed in Yorkshire in 1295. 2

Ricardus de Whiteby was listed as a Freeman of York 21-2 Edward I (during the 21st year of King Edward I's reign) and later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Robertas de Whytby, smyth. 3

As one might expect, with the close proximity to Scotland, early records include: Johannes de Whitebi, Nicholaus de Whitebi, Ranulphus de Whitebi, and Robert de Whitebi who all rendered homage at Berwick to King Edward I of England in 1291. Warin de Whiteby, burgess of Perth also rendered homage to the same king in 1296, and Henry de Wyteby held land in Waldeugate, Berwick, in 1307. 4

Early History of the Whitteby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whitteby research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1291, 1307, 1585, 1614, 1619, 1629, 1638, 1639, 1642, 1644, 1652, 1655 and 1726 are included under the topic Early Whitteby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whitteby Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Whitby, Whiteby and others.

Early Notables of the Whitteby family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry Whitby who held the lands in Berwick in 1307; Edward Whitby (died 1639), an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for City of Chester (1614-1629); Daniel Whitby (1638-1726), a controversial English theologian and...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whitteby Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whitteby family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Whitteby or a variant listed above: Daniel Whitby settled in Virginia in 1623; along with Richard; Henry Whitby settled in Maryland in 1684; Kath Whitby settled in Virginia in 1654; James Whitby arrived in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1808.

The Whitteby 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 vitium fugere
Motto Translation: It is virtue to shun vice

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)