Wolpole History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Wolpole was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wolpole family lived in Norfolk, at Walpole. Looking back even further, we found the name was originally derived from the Old English words welle, meaning well, and pol, meaning pool, and refers to a pool formed by a well. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Wolpole family

The surname Wolpole was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat at the time of the Conquest at Freethorpe and Mershland. John of Walpole was nephew of Waleran, the great Essex Baron who was Count of Meulan in Normandy. 4

"Walpole, in Mershland, co. Norfolk, gave name to this historical family, and here Joceline de Walpole was living in the reign of Stephen. Reginald de Walpole, in the time of Henry I seems to have been the lineal ancestor of the house. He was father of Richard, who married Emma, daughter of Walter de Howton, or Houghton, which at a very early period became the family seat. 5

"Walpole is the name of parishes and villages in Norfolk. In the 13th century the surname of De Walpol was represented in this county, as well as in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire." 6

Interestingly, "according to the National Gazetteer (1868) Walpole St. Andrew and Walpole St. Peter Norfolk are both 'situated on the Roman sea-wall.' " 7

Further to the north in Scotland, the family is "most probably from Walpole in the county of Norfolk, England. Willelmus de Walepole witnessed confirmation of sale of the land of Scrogges to the Church of Glasgow, c. 1208-1213. Magister Adam de Walpol, cleric of the Church of Glasgow, c. 1235." 8

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Godfrey de Walpoli was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1198 in Norfolk and Henry de Walepol was found in Kent in the Curia Rgeis Rolls of 1230. William Walpol was registered in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1356; Andrewe Walpole and Thomas Walpole were later found in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1524. 9

Early History of the Wolpole family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wolpole research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1558, 1560, 1595, 1621, 1637, 1650, 1660, 1668, 1676, 1678, 1683, 1689, 1700, 1722, 1726, 1735, 1745, 1757, 1929 and 1970 are included under the topic Early Wolpole History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wolpole Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Wolpole have been found, including Walpole, Walpolle, Wallpole and others.

Early Notables of the Wolpole family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry Walpole (1558-1595), an English Jesuit martyr from Docking, Norfolk; he was beatified in 1929 and canonized in 1970; Edward Walpole (1560-1637), an English Roman Catholic convert, who became known as a Jesuit missioner and preacher; Sir Edward Walpole (1621-1668), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1668; Colonel Robert Walpole (1650-1700), an English Whig...
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wolpole Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wolpole family to Ireland

Some of the Wolpole 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 Wolpole family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Wolpole were among those contributors: Thomas Walpole arrived in Philadelphia in 1802.

The Wolpole 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: Fari quae sentiat
Motto Translation: To speak what he feels.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
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)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)