Wedel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Scotland
Ireland
England

Etymology of Wedel

What does the name Wedel mean?

The surname Wedel comes from the place named Wedale, in the parish of Stow, near Edinburgh. As such it is a habitation name, a category of surnames derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Wedel family

The surname Wedel was first found in Midlothian, where they had held territories at Wedale in the parish of Stow from ancient times. 1

Most sources agree in this origin, but one claims the name was English having derived from Odell, a parish in Bedfordshire. "For proof, v. Odell. Waddle is a natural variant, but seems confined to America." 2 This researcher noted that the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included a listing for Robert de Wadhulle, Bedfordshire.

But let's return to Scotland where the lion's share of the family claim descent. "The earliest known bearer of the name is Adam de Wedale, 'an outlaw of the King of Scots land,' who appears in 1204. Stephen de Wee ale witnessed a charter of the lands of Swaynystoun to the Hospital of Soltre, c. 1221-24, and Thomas de Wedal was canon of St. Andrews 1280. Laurence de Wedale of Roxburghshire rendered homage in 1296. His seal bears an eight-rayed figure and S' Lavrenci d' Vedal" 3

On this last entry, we must explain the significance of "rendered homage in 1296." King Edward I of England conquered much of lowland Scotland in 1296 and confiscated the lands. To retrieve your lands, you had to "render homage" to him, thereby acknowledging him as the rightful king.

"Symone de Wedale, [was] abbot of Holyrood, Edinburgh, between 1296-1327, as Symon de Wedehale was consecrated bishop of Galloway in 1327. Adam de Wedale, monk of Newbotyl, was witness in proceedings against the Knights Templars in 1309, and Roger de Wedale was canon of Dunblane, 1312, and in 1321 prebendary of Murthlach." 3

Early History of the Wedel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wedel research. Another 330 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1344, 1359, 1370, 1372, 1395, 1400, 1405, 1421, 1424, 1505, 1555, 1557, 1567, 1583, 1600, 1610, 1613, 1617, 1621, 1642, 1672, 1682, 1725, 1793 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Wedel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wedel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Waddel, Waddell, Waddle, Weddel, Weddell, Weddle and many more.

Early Notables of the Wedel family

Notable among the family at this time was John Weddell (1583-1642), sea-captain who in 1617 was master's mate of the East India Company's ship Dragon. "In April 1621 he sailed from England as captain of the Jonas, with three other...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wedel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wedel Ranking

In the United States, the name Wedel is the 15,622^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Wedel family to Ireland

Some of the Wedel family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wedel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wedel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Michael Wedel, who arrived in America in 1726 5
Caspar Wedel, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1737 5
Johannes Wedel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 5
Maria Catharina Wedel, aged 41, who landed in Carolina in 1752 5
Johan Peter Wedel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1754 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wedel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Hasje Wedel, aged 32, who landed in New York, NY in 1849 5
Peter Wedel, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1850 5
F Henriette Wedel, aged 17, who arrived in New York, NY in 1852 5
F Herman Wedel, aged 23, who landed in New York, NY in 1852 5
F Julius Wedel, aged 13, who arrived in New York, NY in 1852 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wedel (post 1700) +

Dieter Karl Cäsar Wedel (1939-2022), German director who directed numerous television productions since the late 1960s
Erhard Gustave de Wedel, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 6

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) Erhard Wedel. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html