An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2014
Where did the English Wilkins family come from? What is the English Wilkins family crest and coat of arms? When did the Wilkins family
An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2014
Where did the English Wilkins family come from? What is the English Wilkins family crest and coat of arms? When did the Wilkins family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Wilkins family history?The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought the Wilkins family name to the British Isles. Wilkins comes from the Norman personal name William, which is derived from the words will, meaning resolution and helm, meaning armed.
Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Wilkins, Wilkin, Wilkines, Wilkyn, Wilking and others.
First found in Glamorganshire where they held a family seat from early times. They were descended from Robert de Wintona, one of twelve kn