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![Show Contents]() Withgrave History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Withgrave reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Withgrave family lived in Staffordshire, at the manor of Whitgreave. Early Origins of the Withgrave familyThe surname Withgrave was first found in Staffordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Whitgreave. "In the reign of Henry III., Robert Whitgreave, the ancestor of this family, was seated at Burton near Stafford." 1 He received a grant of Arms from Humphrey, Earl of Stafford. The Arms are based on those of Stafford and there seems to be a relationship between the Whitgreaves and the noble house of Stafford. It was the Norman custom for the second son to adopt the surname of his manor or village. The small village of Whitgreave dates back to 1193 when it was first listed as Witegraue and possible meant "white grove or corpse," from the Old English words "hwit" + "graefe." 2 Early History of the Withgrave familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Withgrave research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1449, 1590 and 1651 are included under the topic Early Withgrave History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Withgrave Spelling VariationsBefore the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Withgrave family name include Witgrave, Whitgrave, Whitgrove, Whitgreave, Whitgroves, Whitgreaves, Whitegrave, Whitegraves, Whitegrove, Whitegroves, Whitegreave, Whitegreaves, Witegrave, Witegrove, Witgreaves, Witgreave, Witgrove, Witgrave, Whitgraves, Witgraves and many more. Early Notables of the Withgrave familyMore information is included under the topic Early Withgrave Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Withgrave familyTo escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Withgrave family to immigrate North America: Thomas Witgrave who landed in North America in 1754.
- Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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