The Origins of the name WHEELER
This popular Old English surname can be traced back to the most ancient times; a Roger le Weweler was recorded in Buckinghamshire in 1249 and Hugh le Welere lived in Cambridgeshire in 1273.
It was not until the 11th. Century that surnames came into use, introduced by the Normans. They were usually local (a place or a landmark), patronymic ("son of"), the name of an occupation or profession, or a nickname.
The name Wheeler is occupational, meaning "a maker of wheels,a wheelwright", and comes from the Old English word "hweogol" meaning wheel,also an agent derivative of Middle English "whele" meaning wheel. Many of the early records show the word "le" before the name, as people with this surname would have been called Roger The Wheeler, or John The Wheelwright, etc.
The name Wheeler is particularly common on the Isle of Wight; on the mainland it is concentrated in the neighbouring region of central Southern England. It is fairly evenly distributed over the rest of Southern England, but much less common in the North.
Recorded in several spellings including Wheeler, the usual spelling, and Wheeller, Wheler, Whealler, Whealer, Wayler, Whyler, and Whaler, this famous surname is English. It is occupational and in former times described a master wheel-maker or wheelwright. The derivation is from the pre 7th century Olde English word "hweogol" or "hweol", meaning a wheel. Wheels were used in spinning and other manufacturing processes, as well as for vehicles, so the wheelwright held an important position in medieval England. The surname first appears in records in the mid 13th century (see below) with John le Whelare being recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, whilst the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1279 mentions Hugh le Welere. Thomas le Wegheler appeared in the tax rolls known as the Feet of Fines of Sussex in 1284, and one Stephen le Whelere was listed in the Feet of Fines of Essex in 1317, with Gilbert Whyler being recorded in the pipe rolls of Surrey in 1351. Sir Hugh Massy Wheeler (1789 - 1857) rose to the rank of major-general in the Indian Army, and was murdered during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger le Weweler. This was dated 1249, in the occupation lists for the county of Sussex, during the reign of King Henry 111rd, 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
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Variants :
Wailer,Wayler,Whaler,Whealler,Wheeller,Wheler,Whiler,Wiler,Wyler,Wheelwright,Whilesmit h,Wilesmith.
Equivalents: Low German,Dutch: Rademaker. Polish: Kolodziej
The ancient family motto was AVITO JURE (latin) meaning " By ancient right".
The Origins of the name SMITH.
Derived form the Anglo-Saxon "smitan," to smite or strike.
Smith and its derivations are an occupational name for a man who works with metal (smith or blacksmith), one of the earliest jobs for which specialist skills were required.
It is a craft that was practiced in all countries,making the surname and its derivations the most common of all surnames.
The Surname is of English Origin.
Alternate surname spellings are Smyth, Smythe, Schmidt.
Recorded in the spellings of Smith, Smithe, Smythe, and the patronymics Smiths, and Smithson, this is the most popular surname in the English speaking world by a considerable margin. Of pre 7th century Anglo-Saxon origins, it derives from the word 'smitan' meaning 'to smite' and as such is believed to have described not a worker in iron, but a soldier, one who smote. That he also probably
wore armour, which he would have been required to repair, may have lead to the secondary meaning. The famous Anglo-Saxon Chronicles sometimes known as the first newspaper, in the 9th century a.d. uses the expression 'War-Smith' to describe a valiant warrior, whilst the later medieval Guild List of specialist trades has blacksmith, whitesmith, tinsmith, goldsmith and silversmith amongst its many members, but no trade of 'smith'. These descriptions of the skilled workers of the Middle Ages were exact, and it is our opinion after studying many early records that the original smiths were probably the guards of the local lord of the manor. This would account for the singular popularity of the name, as the early social records indicate that the trades of tailor and baker were much more
prevalent than that of Smith in any form. What is certain is that over five hundred coats of arms have been granted to Smith nameholders, surely an indication of the soldier background, rather than a humble ironworker. The great family Smith is 'first' in all major cities of the English speaking world, yet curiously the greatest concentration of Smith's are in Aberdeenshire, Scotland! Why this should be so is far from clear. Not surprisingly the Smith name was one of the very first into the New American colonies, being held by the famous John Smith (1580 - 1631), explorer and writer, who helped to found the state of Virginia. He was reputedly saved from execution by Pocahontas, the Indian chief's daughter, who died in England in 1622. The first recorded spelling of the family name, and probably the first surname recorded anywhere in the world, is that of Eceard Smid. This was dated 975 a.d., in the English Surname Register for County Durham, during the reign of Kinrived form the Anglo-Saxon "smitan," to smite or strike.
The Origins of the name PATTENDEN
It is widely thought that the name Pattenden came from charcoal burners in the forest, from the Saxon 'denne' a clearing in the forest,but other sources suggest that it is from the old English (pre seventh century) personal name 'Peatta' or from 'Pat' a pet form of Patrick and that the old English 'denn' meant a swine pasture or a 'woody valley,or a place yielding both covert and feeding for cattle, 'especially swine'. The Saxon word 'patta' means a stream with a tendency to swell. Pattyndenne Manor,Goudhurst,Kent is at the bottom of a hill by a stream. The first reference to the name is found in the form 'de Patinden' in the Kent Assizes in 1254 followed by William and Cecilia de Patinden in Middleton,Kent in 1318. By 1334 Ralph and Isolda de Patindenne were paying nine shillings and sixpence in the Kent Lay Subsidy. In 1396 Nicholas Patynden lived in Cranbrook,Kent and the first time the name is found in its current form is in 1464 when Bartholomew Pattenden lived in Iden,Staplehurst,Kent. Pattyndenne Manor Goudhurst,Kent was built in 1470 and is still in use today as a family home and Little Pattenden. Pattenden Lane,Marden,Kent is all that remains of the Manors of Great and Little Pattenden.
The earliest references to the name Pattenden occur in the Kent and Sussex Weald and then spread to Surrey and London. By 1990 there were Pattendens in most of Britain and
they spread to Australia,Canada,France,Netherlands,New Zealand,South Africa and the United States.