Witnal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins and Etymology of Witnal

The surname Witnal was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Wettenhall. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, Wettenhall was held Gilbert de Venables, a Norman Baron, and conjecturally this family name is descended from that source or a relative. Venables was in the canton of Gaillon, near Evreux. They were hereditary huntsmen to the Dukes of Normandy. Gilbert the Hunter also held the barony of Kinderton in Cheshire from the Earl of Chester, Hugh Lupus, otherwise known as the Wolf.

Withnell is a township, in the parish and hundred of Leyland, union of Chorley, N. division of Lancashire. "The township was a member of Hoghton manor, and part of the inheritance of a co-heiress of the Alansons, who married Roger de Withnil or Wythenall." 1

Originally called Withinhull, c. 1160, it was later listed as Withinhulle in the 1332 Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire, and literally meant "a hill where willow trees grow." 2

Early History of the Witnal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Witnal research. Another 170 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1300 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Witnal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Witnal Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wettenhall, Wetenhall, Wetnall, Whetnall, Whettnall, Whettenhall, Watnall, Wattenhall, Wattenall, Wettenall, Wettenall, Whetonhall, Wetonhall, Whetnell, Wetenall, Whitnall, Wittenhall, Whittenhall, Witnal, Wittnall, Watnoll, Whatnoll, Withnell, Withnall, Wyttnell and many more.

Early Notables of the Witnal family

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

Migration of the Witnal family to Ireland

Some of the Witnal family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Witnal family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Isaac and William Witnell and their wives settled in New York in 1812; John Withnell settled in Maryland in 1665.

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)