Wroath History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Wroath family

The surname Wroath was first found in Kent at Wrotham, a parish, and formerly a market-town, in the union of Malling, hundred of Wrotham, lathe of Aylesford. "This place, which is of remote antiquity, was probably a town of the Britons, various discoveries having been made of British coins, and of fragments of brass armour and military weapons. Other circumstances lead to the conclusion that it was afterwards a Roman station: the military way from Oldborough to Stane-street passed through it." 1

Another source notes that "Wroth is at present a Kingsbridge [(Devon)] name. " 2

Both are very rare, but the Roth variant is more numerous. In this case, the name was for "the red-haired or ruddy-complexioned man; one who came from Roth (red.) " 3

William de Wrotham (d. 1217), was an English judge, "the grandson of Geoffrey de Wrotham of Baddenville, near Wrotham in Kent, a domestic servant of several archbishops of Canterbury, including Hubert Walter, who gave him lands near Wrotham, Kent. By his wife, Maud de Cornhill, Geoffrey was father of William de Wrotham (d. 1208?), who was sheriff of Devonshire in 1198, acted as justiciar in the reigns of Richard I and John, and married Muriel de Lydd. As he survived until about 1208, it is difficult to distinguish him from his son, but apparently it was the son who was custos of the stanneries of Devonshire and Cornwall from 1199 to 1213 " 4

Early History of the Wroath family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wroath research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1516, 1540, 1541, 1546, 1550, 1558, 1573, 1576, 1587, 1603, 1606, 1613, 1618, 1619, 1622, 1629, 1630, 1639, 1641, 1642, 1645, 1650, 1651, 1661, 1671 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Wroath History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wroath Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wroth, Wrothe, Roth, Rothe, Rotham, Roothem, Rootham, Wrothem and many more.

Early Notables of the Wroath family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Lady Mary Wroth (1587-1651), an English poet, best known for having written "The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania"; Sir Thomas Wroth (1516-1573), an English courtier and politician, a supporter of the Protestant Reformation; Sir Robert Wroth (1540?-1606), an English...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wroath Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wroath family to Ireland

Some of the Wroath family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 209 words (15 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wroath migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Wroath Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Harriet A. Wroath, (b. 1858), aged 19, Cornish parlour maid departing on 31st October 1877 aboard the ship "Hereford" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 19th January 1878 5
Miss Sarah Wroath, (b. 1857), aged 20, Cornish settler departing on 31st October 1877 aboard the ship "Hereford" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 19th January 1878 5
Mr. William H. Wroath, (b. 1856), aged 21, Cornish groom departing on 31st October 1877 aboard the ship "Hereford" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 19th January 1878 5

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf