Wollere History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Wollere is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a mason. 1 Hence, Wollere is an occupational surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Occupational surnames were derived from the primary activity of the bearer. In the Middle Ages, people did not generally live off of the fruits of their labor in a particular job. Rather, they performed a specialized task, as well as farming, for subsistence. Other occupational names were derived from an object associated with a particular activity. The surname was given to people who worked as stone masons. This surname was established in England, in the county of Nottingham, prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Early Origins of the Wollere family

The surname Wollere was first found in Nottinghamshire where John le Walmur was one of the first listings of the name. 2 While this is one of the first records, the name could have originated in Kent as noted "from Walers or Valers, of the Eastern Counties, probably descended from the Kentish family of Waller, who bore three leaves on a bend voided." 3

Continuing this investigation revealed William Waliere was listed as a Knight's Templar in Kent in 1185. 2 William le Waller was bailiff in Norwich in 1232.

From this point the name spread rapidly as seen by listings in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273: Robert le Waller in Norfolk; and Peter le Walur in Oxfordshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Thomas Dyekok, waller, and Willelmus Goderd, waller. 4

Early History of the Wollere family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wollere research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1597, 1604, 1606, 1624, 1639, 1666, 1668, 1678, 1679, 1680, 1682, 1687, 1699 and 1791 are included under the topic Early Wollere History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wollere Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Wollere include Waller, Wallere and others.

Early Notables of the Wollere family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Edmund Waller, FRS (1606-1687), an English poet and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1679; Sir Hardress Waller (c. 1604-1666), an English parliamentarian condemned to death for regicide, but was never executed; Sir William Waller (c. 1597-1668), the famous English Parliamentary...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wollere Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wollere family to Ireland

Some of the Wollere 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 Wollere family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Wollere were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: John Walleer who settled in Virginia in 1606; fourteen years before the "Mayflower"; Charles Wal1er who settled in Virginia in 1623; Andrew Waller settled in Barbados in 1639.

The Wollere 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: Hic fructus virtutis
Motto Translation: This is the fruit of valour.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)