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![Show Contents]() Wittegrove History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Wittegrove is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wittegrove family lived in Staffordshire, at the manor of Whitgreave. Early Origins of the Wittegrove familyThe surname Wittegrove 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 Wittegrove familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wittegrove research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1449, 1590 and 1651 are included under the topic Early Wittegrove History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wittegrove Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled 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 Wittegrove familyMore information is included under the topic Early Wittegrove Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wittegrove familyTo escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Wittegrove or a variant listed above: 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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