Windsor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Windsor

What does the name Windsor mean?

Windsor is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The Windsor family lived in Berkshire, at Windsor Castle. Interestingly, "The Stanwell family claim descent from Walter Fitz-Other (fl. 1087), who held that manor at the time of Domesday Book and was warder of Windsor Castle, whence he derived the name Windsor. His third son, Gerald de Windsor (fl. 1116), was constable of Pembroke Castle, and steward to Arnulf, Earl of Pembroke, in whose service he saw much fighting in Pembroke. He was sent to King Murtagh in Ireland to ask his daughter's hand for Arnulf, married Nest or Nesta, mistress of Henry I, and was father of William Fitzgerald, Maurice Fitzgerald (d. 1176), David (d. 1176), Bishop of St. David's, and Angharad, mother of Giraldus Cambrensis, the historian. It was from Gerald's eldest brother William that the Windsors of Stanwell claimed descent." 1

Early Origins of the Windsor family

The surname Windsor was first found in Berkshire, where they were descended from William FitzOtho, who was son of Adalbert the second Duke of Lombardy. This Walter was given Windsor Castle by William, Duke of Normandy. His son, William Fitzwalter assumed the surname of the Castle. This was not the only time a family would assume the name of the castle as in 1917, the present Royal family would do the same.

One of the first on records of the family was Sir William de Windsor, Baron Windsor (d. 1384), Deputy of Ireland, the son of Sir Alexander de Windsor of Grayrigg, Westmorland. "No connection has been proved between this family and that of the Windsors of Stanwell. " 1

Early History of the Windsor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Windsor research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1178, 1360, 1381, 1445, 1467, 1513, 1541, 1543, 1624, 1627, 1687 and 1917 are included under the topic Early Windsor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Windsor Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Windsor, Winsor, Winzer, Winser, Wincer and others.

Early Notables of the Windsor family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sir James Windsor (c.1360), ancestor of the Earls of Plymouth, First Baron Andrew Windsor (1467-1543), a courtier and army commander, and Miles Windsore (1541-1624), a British scholar and poet
Thomas Windsor, seventh Baron Windsor of Stanwell and first Earl of Plymouth (1627?-1687), born about 1627 and baptised under the name of Thomas Windsor, was son and heir of Dixie Hickman of Kew, Surr...

Windsor Ranking

In the United States, the name Windsor is the 4,838^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Windsor is ranked the 681^st most popular surname with an estimated 64 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Windsor family to Ireland

Some of the Windsor family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Windsor migration to the United States +

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Windsor name or one of its variants:

Windsor Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Windsor, who settled in Boston in 1631
Joshua Windsor, who arrived in Providence, Rhode Island in 1638
John Windsor, who landed in America in 1654-1679 4
Marthah Windsor, who settled in Nevis in 1660
Jane Windsor, who settled in Virginia in 1663
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Windsor Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Windsor, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1750

Windsor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Lloyd D Windsor, aged 41, who landed in New York in 1812 4
Solomon Windsor, aged 56, who landed in New York in 1812 4
Richard Windsor, who arrived in Texas in 1850-1906 4
George W Windsor, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1855 4

Windsor migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Windsor Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Timothy Windsor, who was recorded in the 1871 census of Ontario

Windsor migration to Australia +

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

Windsor Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Clara Windsor, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lord Goderich" in 1838 5
Elizabeth Knight Windsor, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lord Goderich" in 1838 5
Harriett Windsor, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lord Goderich" in 1838 5
John Windsor, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lord Goderich" in 1838 5
John Windsor, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Prince Regent" in 1839 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Windsor migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Windsor Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Charles Windsor, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Tyne" in 1841
Mary Windsor, aged 38, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Tyne" in 1841
Isaac Windsor, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Ursula
Mr. Joseph Windsor, British settler arriving as the 1st detachment of Royal New Zealand Fencible Corps travelling from Tilbury, Essex aboard the ship "Ramillies" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th August 1847 7
Mrs. Mary Windsor née Rielly, British settler travelling from Tilbury, Essex aboard the ship "Ramillies" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th August 1847 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Windsor (post 1700) +

Edith "Edie" Windsor (1929-2017), née Schlain, an American LGBT rights activist and a technology manager at IBM
Harriet N. Smith Windsor, American Democratic Party politician, Secretary of State of Delaware, 2001-; Vice-chair of Delaware Democratic Party, 2008; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Delaware, 2008 8
Julius Gayle Windsor Jr. (1920-1991), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Arkansas State House of Representatives, 1957-62, 1967-80 9
Mrs. Harlan Windsor, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Missouri, 1924 9
E. Stuart Windsor, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maryland, 1936 9
David A. Windsor, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Alexandria, Virginia, 1882-85 9
Barbara Windsor, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, 1998 9
Duchess Wallis Warfield Windsor (1896-1986), Duchess of Windsor
Richard Windsor, American hunter, scout, and woodsman on the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Robin Jamie Windsor (1979-2024), English professional Latin and ballroom dancer
... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Windsor family +

SS Caribou

Mr. Joseph William Henry Windsor (b. 1923), Newfoundland passenger who was Royal Air Force from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, he died in the sinking

The Windsor 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: Je me fie en Dieu
Motto Translation: I trust in God.

Sources +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LORD GODERICH 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838LordGoderich.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PRINCE REGENT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839PrinceRegent.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html