Willingman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Willingman is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Willingman family lived in Derbyshire, at Willington.

Early Origins of the Willingman family

The surname Willingman was first found in Derbyshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Willington. John of Willington held a family seat there at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book, 1 a survey taken by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England at Hastings in 1066 A.D. At the survey Willington was held by Ralph FitzHubert, a Norman overlord, and it is most likely that John of Willington was the second son of Ralph, who took his name from the Lordship of Willington, as was customary in the Norman culture.

The village and civil parish of Cherry Willingham is in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire and Willingham by Stow is a rural village nearby.

Early History of the Willingman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willingman research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1322 and 1330 are included under the topic Early Willingman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willingman 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 Willington, Willinton, Wilington, Wilinton, de Willington and many more.

Early Notables of the Willingman family

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

Migration of the Willingman family to Ireland

Some of the Willingman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Willingman 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 Willingman or a variant listed above: Jane Willington who settled in Virginia in 1699; Mary Willington settled in Jamaica in 1684; and another Mary Willington settled in Virginia in 1653; William Willington settled in Maryland in 1718..

The Willingman 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: Vigueur de dessus
Motto Translation: Strength is from above.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)