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![Show Contents]() Wollferstyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Wollferstyn is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The Wollferstyn family lived in Suffolk, at Wolverston. The surname Wollferstyn was originally derived from the Old English elements wulf, meaning wolf, and tun, meaning settlement or enclosure. The name was originally Wulkton, and gradually evolved into its current form. Early Origins of the Wollferstyn familyThe surname Wollferstyn was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Woolverstone. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book, 1 a survey initiated by Duke William of Normandy in the year 1086 A.D. after his conquest of England in 1066, Woolverstone was held by a Norman Noble, Robert Gernon, and as was the Norman custom, the second son adopted the name of the manor or village for his surname. At the survey Woolverstone was a village, with a church, 12 beasts, 30 pigs, 100 sheep and 36 goats. The Church was rebuilt by Sir Gilbert Scott in the 19th century. Early History of the Wollferstyn familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wollferstyn research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1492, 1525, 1570, 1582 and 1592 are included under the topic Early Wollferstyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wollferstyn Spelling VariationsBefore the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Wollferstyn family name include Wolferstan, Wolferstone, Wolverstone, Wolverston, Wolversdon, Wolversden, Wolversdan, Wolferston, Woolferstone, Woolverston and many more. Early Notables of the Wollferstyn familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Mary Wolverston, better known as Lady Killigrew (c. 1525-1582), a Suffolk woman who was accused of piracy during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. As the story goes, whenever her husband went to sea, Mary engaged in piracy using the staff of her castle (Arwenack Castle in Cornwall) as...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wollferstyn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wollferstyn familyTo escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Wollferstyn family to immigrate North America: Benjamin Wolverston and Elizabeth Wolverstone who settled in Barbados with their servants in 1679.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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