Wyvell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Wyvell is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Wyvell family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Wyvell family lived in Yorkshire, at Wyvill, a parish, in the union of Grantham, wapentake of Loveden. 1

Early Origins of the Wyvell family

The surname Wyvell was first found in Yorkshire where "this ancient Norman family is said to be descended from Sir Humphry de Wyvill, who lived at the time of the Conquest, and whose descendants were seated at Slingsby in the county." 2

"Sir Humpbrey d'Wyvill, of the family of Vienville of Normandy, was the Norman thus indicated on the Battle Roll. He acquired a fair share of the spoils of conquest, and seated himself in Yorkshire, where his descendants, the Wyvills of Constable Burton, now represented by Marmaduke Wyvill, Esq., remain to this day. A Baronetcy exists in the family, but is not assumed." 3

"This place, at the time of the Conquest, belonged to the Lacy family; and afterwards to the Mowbrays, who had a castle here. The Wyville family, the Knights Templars, and others, held lands under the Mowbrays; and the castle subsequently became the property of the noble family of Hastings, who are supposed to have rebuilt it. William, the great Lord Hastings, was beheaded by Richard III., and was succeeded here by his son Edward, who by will in 1497 directed Slingsby to be sold." 1

Early History of the Wyvell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wyvell research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1542, 1614, 1617, 1620, 1645, 1648, 1666, 1681, 1684, 1692, 1722, 1740, 1754 and 1774 are included under the topic Early Wyvell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wyvell Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Wyville, Wyfield and others.

Early Notables of the Wyvell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was the Wyvill Baronetcy, of Constable Burton in the County of York which included: Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, 1st Baronet (c. 1542-1617); Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, 2nd Baronet (died c. 1648); Sir Christopher Wyvill, 3rd Baronet (1614-1681); Sir...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wyvell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wyvell family to Ireland

Some of the Wyvell 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.

Wyvell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Wyvell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Wyvell who was convicted in East Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 3rd October 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Wyvell (post 1700) +

Manton M. Wyvell, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 43rd District, 1912, 1914; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1920 5
Dorothy Wyvell, American politician, Representative from Texas 16th District, 1960 5

The Wyvell 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: Par la volonté de Dieu
Motto Translation: By the will of God.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html