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![Show Contents]() Wittber History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Wittber is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wittber family lived in any of various places called Whitwell, in Dorset, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and the North Riding of Yorkshire.These place names are derived from the Old English hwi-t, meaning "white," and well meaning a "spring," or "stream." Early Origins of the Wittber familyThe surname Wittber was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Early History of the Wittber familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wittber research. Another 156 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1238, 1296, 1719, 1749, 1788 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Wittber History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wittber Spelling VariationsNorman 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 Witwall, Witwell, Whitwell, Whitwel, Whitewell and others. Early Notables of the Wittber familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was John Griffin Whitwell (1719-1797), birth name of Field Marshal John Griffin Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden, 1st Baron Braybrooke. He assumed the name Griffin through his mother Anne...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wittber Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wittber familyMany 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 Wittber or a variant listed above: Elizabeth Whitewell, who settled in Virginia in 1653; W. Whitewell settled in San Francisco California in 1864; John Whitwell settled in America in 1675.
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