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![Show Contents]() Wygmuir History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Wygmuir is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wygmuir family lived in Herefordshire, at Wigmore. The name of this place derives from the Old English words wicga, meaning moving, and mor, meaning marsh, and probably indicated that the bearer of the name lived near a shallow, swampy part of a river. 1 Early Origins of the Wygmuir familyThe surname Wygmuir was first found in Herefordshire and Worcestershire which both date back to the Domesday Book 2 and were listed as Wigemore in that register. Wigmore is also a village in the Unitary Authority of Medway, Kent that dates back to 1275 when is was listed as Wydemere, from an Old English "wid" + "mere" meaning "broad pool". 1 The family conjecturally descend from Ralph de Mortimer, who built Wigmore Castle c. 1070 on the River Teme in Hereford. Wigmore Abbey, located nearby, was an Augustinian abbey with a grange and was founded by Ranulph de Mortimer (d. c. 1104), who was known as Lord of Wigmore. The abbey and the castle are both in ruins today. The exact relationship between the Wigmores and the Mortimers is unclear. Today, Wigmore is a new estate situated on the outskirts of Luton near Luton Airport, Bedfordshire. Early History of the Wygmuir familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wygmuir research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1362, 1390, 1397, 1468, 1557, 1566, 1581 and 1588 are included under the topic Early Wygmuir History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wygmuir Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Wigmore, Wigmer, Wiggmore and others. Early Notables of the Wygmuir familyAnother 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wygmuir Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Wygmuir family to Ireland
Some of the Wygmuir family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wygmuir familyTo escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Wygmuir or a variant listed above: Elias Wiggmore who settled in Virginia in 1635; Nathaniel Wiggmore settled in Virginia in 1663; James Wiggmore arrived in Pennsylvania in 1771.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- 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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England
Ireland
