Show ContentsWylder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Wylder has multiple possible origins. Harrison notes the name "represents the common Anglo-Saxon personal name Wealdhere = Mighty Army [Old English ge)weald, power, might + here, army]." 1 Smith notes the name denotes "dweller in a forest; descendant of Wealdhere." 2 Arthur claims the name denotes "represents the common Anglo-Saxon personal name Wealdhere." 3 And Reaney believes the name is from the Old English word "wildeor" meaning "wild animal." 4

Early Origins of the Wylder family

The surname Wylder was first found in Derbyshire where William Wilder, Wyldere was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. 4

Wilder is an old Reading [Berkshire] name; William Wilder was mayor in 1651, and a second William Wilder held this office in 1714. The name is still in the town." 5

Early History of the Wylder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wylder research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1450 is included under the topic Early Wylder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wylder Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wilder, Wylder, Wilde and others.

Early Notables of the Wylder family

More information is included under the topic Early Wylder Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Wylder migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wylder Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Nathaniel Wylder, aged 25, who arrived in New York in 1812 6


The Wylder 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: Virtuti maenia cevant
Motto Translation: Let walls yield to valour.


  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. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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