Wellerman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Wellerman

Wellerman is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. Wellerman is a name that comes from the baptismal name Gilmyn. Gillman indicated that the bearer was the son of (or descended from) someone named Gilmyn. The name is of Norman origin, and was brought to England in the wake of the conquest after the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Early Origins of the Wellerman family

Early History of the Wellerman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wellerman research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wellerman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wellerman Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Gillman, Gilman and others.

Early Notables of the Wellerman family

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

Migration of the Wellerman family to Ireland

Some of the Wellerman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 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 Wellerman family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Wellerman or a variant listed above were: Edward Gillman of Norfolk who settled in Hingham in 1638 with his wife, three servants, three sons and two daughters; Thomas Gillman, who came to Virginia in 1680.