Show ContentsWych History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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  • England
Wych Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Wych

What does the name Wych mean?

The distinguished name Wych is derived from the English word "wedge" and the Old French word "wage," which originally meant a "pledge, surety." 1 In other words, the name was an occupational name for "one who acted as pledge or surety for another." 2

Another source claims the name was derived from the Old English word "Wegga." 3

Early Origins of the Wych family

The surname Wych was first found in the 13th century when William Wegge was recorded. In 1327, John Wegge was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls as holding lands in Somerset and later, Robert Wegge was listed in the Feet of Fines for Surrey (1391-1392.) 3

Richard of Chichester (1197-1253), also known as Richard de Wych, Bishop of Chichester (1244-1253) is a saint who was canonized in 1262. A shrine was built in Chichester Cathedral dedicated to Richard and had become a centre of pilgrimage. In 1538, during the reign of Henry VIII, the shrine was plundered and destroyed by order of Thomas Cromwell. St Richard of Chichester is patron saint of Sussex since 2007, his translated saint's day of 16 June is celebrated as Sussex Day.

Wych Street was a street in London, that ran west from the church of St Clement Danes on the Strand to a point towards the southern end of Drury Lane. It was demolished by the London County Council in around 1901 as part of the redevelopment that created the Kingsway and Aldwych.

Early History of the Wych family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wych research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1384, 1385, 1386, 1390, 1393, 1554, 1593, 1607, 1621, 1628, 1632, 1643, 1659, 1661, 1676, 1678, 1681, 1682, 1685, 1689, 1692, 1693, 1695, 1699, 1702, 1705, 1707 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Wych History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wych 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 Wych have been found, including Wadge, Watch, Wage, Wych, Wich, Wedge, Wegge and others.

Early Notables of the Wych family

  • John Wych (fl. 1384-1393), an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Hereford in 1384, 1385, 1386, 1390 and 1393
  • Sir Cyril Wyche PRS (1632-c.1707), an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Callington (1661-1678), for East Grinstead (1681-1685), for Saltash (1685-1689)
  • Sir Cyril Wyche, 1st Baronet (c.1695-1756), Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Russia
  • Richard Wyche (1554-1621), director of the English East India Company
  • Peter Wyche (1593-1643), English Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
  • Peter Wyche (1628-1699), English Ambassador to Russia and Poland
  • Nathaniel Wyche (1607-1659), President of the English East India Company
  • Nathaniel Wyche (1607-1659), President of the English East India Company

Wych migration to the United States +

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 Wych were among those contributors:

Wych Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Wych, aged 35, British farmer who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Alesto" on 16th May 1841
  • Mr. J. Wych, aged 24, British farmer who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Alesto" on 16th May 1841
  • Ms. Mary Wych, aged 35, British settler who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Alesto" on 16th May 1841

Wych migration to Australia +

Wych Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Peter Wych, Jr., (b. 1816), aged 16, English wheel wright who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for life for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st September 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1899 4
USS Indianapolis
  • Robert Arthur Wych, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 5
  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
  5. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew

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