| ![Show Contents]() Wale History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of WaleWhat does the name Wale mean? The German surname Wale emerged in the lands that formed the modern state of Lower Saxony, which is presently bordered by the North Sea, the Hartz mountains and the Elbe and Ems rivers. Lower Saxony was previously a medieval Saxon dukedom. In the Middle Ages, many of the Saxon lands were a part of the Holy Roman Empire, which was characterized by the Feudal System. Before this era, people were known only by a single name. However, as the population increased and travelers set out on their journeys, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves. Many people, such as the Wale family, adopted the name of their feudal occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Wale was an occupational name for an elector. In medieval Germany, electors were the ecclesiastical and temporal princes who elected the Holy Roman Emperor. Ancient records reveal the name Wale is derived from the Old German word wala, which means choice. Early Origins of the Wale familyThe surname Wale was first found in Oldenburg, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the prominent families of these regions. From the 13th century on the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the Prussian nation. Chronicles first mention J. Wale of Greifswald, Pomerania in 1322 and Gerd Waler of Anklam in 1406, but the oldest branches of the family are mentioned as having their seat in Oldenburg and even earlier in nearby Doetlingen. Early History of the Wale familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wale research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1541, 1587, 1617 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Wale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wale Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Wahle, Wahlen, Wahler, Wahls, Wahlers, Waler and many more. Early Notables of the Wale familyNotables of the time included Saul Wahl Katzenellenbogen (1541-1617) a wealthy and politically influential Polish Jew who is said to have briefly occupied the throne of Poland on 18 August 1587. According to folklore...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wale Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Wale migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Wale Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Nathaniel Wale, who arrived in Boston in 1635 aboard the ship "James" 1
- William Wale, who landed in Virginia in 1636 2
- Margaret Wale, who landed in Maryland in 1654 2
- Edward Wale, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 2
- Jeremiah Wale, who landed in Virginia in 1665 2
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Wale Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- William Wale, who arrived in New York in 1796 2
| Wale migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Wale Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. Edward Wale, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 11th March 1863, arriving in Western Australia, Australia 3
| Contemporary Notables of the name Wale (post 1700) | + |
- Samuel Wale RA (1721-1786), English historical painter and book illustrator
- Matthew Cooper Wale (b. 1968), Solomon Islands politician, member of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands (2008-)
- Henry John Wale (1827-1892), English author, soldier and church minister, tenth son of Major General Sir Charles Wale
- Gregory Wale (1668-1739), English gentleman and jurist, Justice of the Peace for Cambridgeshire, County Treasurer and Conservator of the River Cam; his large obelisk erected in his memory still stands today on Magots Mount near Little Shelford, Cambridgeshire
- Thomas Wale (1701-1796), English squire who collected documents then published the collection in the book My Grandfather's Pocket Book, son of Gregory Wale
- Major General Sir Charles Wale (1765-1845), English General and diplomat, the last British Governor of Martinique (1812-1815), son of Thomas Wale
- John Wale Probert (d. 1847), British Navy lieutenant
- Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
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