Wigh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Wigh

What does the name Wigh mean?

The name Wigh originates in Wye, Kent, England, a parish, and formerly a market-town, in the union of East Ashford, hundred of Wye, lathe of Shepway, E. about 56 miles (E. S. E.) from London. 1 2 3

"This place is of great antiquity, and was once of considerable importance. It was the head of a royal manor having extensive jurisdiction, and formed part of the demesne lands of the Saxon kings prior to the Conquest, when, with all its appendages, liberties, and royal customs, it was granted to the abbey of Battle, in Sussex, with which it continued till the Dissolution. " 1

Another source claims the name originally meant "Warrior" from the Middle Englih "wy(e)" and the Old English "wíga; from wíg, war." 4

This same source postulates the name could have denoted a "Dweller by one of the Rivers Wye, from the early form of Welsh (g)wy, water: thus the Wye which runs into the Severn is called Gwy in Wales; and one of its tributaries is the Bach-wy = Little Gwy." 4 The noted author Smith extends this further to include "Wey, the names of several British rivers." 5

Early Origins of the Wigh family

The surname Wigh was first found in Kent where Hugh de Wy was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275. 3

Early History of the Wigh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wigh research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1597, 1602 and 1640 are included under the topic Early Wigh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wigh Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wye, Wigh and others.

Early Notables of the Wigh family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wigh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wigh family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: George Wye who settled in Virginia in 1643; Ann Wye settled in New England in 1772; Seth Wye settled in New Orleans in 1822.

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print