Show ContentsWivell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Wivell was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wivell family lived in Yorkshire, at Wyvill, a parish, in the union of Grantham, wapentake of Loveden. [1]

Early Origins of the Wivell family

The surname Wivell was first found in Yorkshire where "this ancient Norman family is said to be descended from Sir Humphry de Wyvill, who lived at the time of the Conquest, and whose descendants were seated at Slingsby in the county." [2]

"Sir Humpbrey d'Wyvill, of the family of Vienville of Normandy, was the Norman thus indicated on the Battle Roll. He acquired a fair share of the spoils of conquest, and seated himself in Yorkshire, where his descendants, the Wyvills of Constable Burton, now represented by Marmaduke Wyvill, Esq., remain to this day. A Baronetcy exists in the family, but is not assumed." [3]

"This place, at the time of the Conquest, belonged to the Lacy family; and afterwards to the Mowbrays, who had a castle here. The Wyville family, the Knights Templars, and others, held lands under the Mowbrays; and the castle subsequently became the property of the noble family of Hastings, who are supposed to have rebuilt it. William, the great Lord Hastings, was beheaded by Richard III., and was succeeded here by his son Edward, who by will in 1497 directed Slingsby to be sold." [1]

Early History of the Wivell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wivell research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1542, 1614, 1617, 1620, 1645, 1648, 1666, 1681, 1684, 1692, 1722, 1740, 1754 and 1774 are included under the topic Early Wivell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wivell 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 Wyville, Wyfield and others.

Early Notables of the Wivell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was the Wyvill Baronetcy, of Constable Burton in the County of York which included: Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, 1st Baronet (c. 1542-1617); Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, 2nd Baronet (died c. 1648); Sir Christopher Wyvill, 3rd Baronet (1614-1681); Sir...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wivell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Wivell family to Ireland

Some of the Wivell 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.


United States Wivell migration to the United States +

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 Wivell or a variant listed above:

Wivell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Samuel William Wivell, aged 26, originally from Holdworthy, England, who arrived in New York City, New York in 1911 aboard the ship "Majestic (1890)" from Southampton, England [4]
  • Lily Langdon Wivell, aged 22, originally from Nondedra, England, who arrived in New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Oceanic" from Southampton, England [4]
  • Elizabeth Wivell, aged 60, originally from Bodmin, England, who arrived in New York City, New York in 1918 aboard the ship "Mauretania" from Liverpool, England [4]
  • Ernest Wivell, aged 27, originally from Okehampton, England, who arrived in New York in 1922 aboard the ship "Homeric" from Southampton, England [4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Wivell (post 1700) +

  • William J. Wivell (b. 1964), American politician, Republican member of the Maryland House of Delegates (2015-)
  • Abraham Wivell (1786-1849), British portrait painter, writer and pioneer of fire protection, credited with inventing the first effective fire escape system [5]


The Wivell 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: Par la volonté de Dieu
Motto Translation: By the will of God.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  3. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  4. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  5. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 13 Feb. 2019


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