Waltham Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

This is an English place name as the Domesday Book (1086 AD) records five areas with the name: Walthamstow Essex, Waltham Berkshire, Waltham on the Wolds Leicestershire, Waltham Lincolnshire, and Waltham Holy Cross Essex.

The name means “the enclosure of the dwelling by the Wood”. It derives from the Old English word weald (wood) and hamm (an enclosure). The letter D in the name ended up becoming a T. Early spelling variants include Wealtham.

Early notables recorded by primary source documents include Matilda de Waltham in county Norfolk (1273), Maurice de Waltham in London, Henry de Waltham in county Leicester, William de Waltham in county Lincoln, Thomas de Waltham in county Sussex, Roger de Waltham in county Bedford, and David Waltham in county Devon. A marriage between William Waltham and Anne Winch was recorded in Canterbury in 1663.

John Olimus, a representative in Parliament, became the first Baron of Waltham in 1762 in the Peerage of Ireland.

There is a city named Waltham in Massachusetts that was settled in the year 1634.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (Keene, co. Devon). (Brenton, co. Devon, temp. James I.; Geroge Waltham, Esq., of Prenton, Visit. Devon, 1620, son of John Waltham, grandson of George Waltham, and great- grandson of Richard Waltham, all of same place). (Watcombe House, Stockwell Green, London, S.W.). Sa. a chev. betw. three suns in glory ar.
2) (co. Kent). Or, on a fess az. three plates.
3) Sa. a chev. betw. three estoiles ar. Crest—A peacock’s head couped az.
4) Sa. a chev. betw. three cinquefoils ar. (another, or).
5) Ar. a bend betw. six escallops sa.
6) Or, a chev. betw. three birds sa.
7) Sa. three suns ar.
8) Gu. a chev. betw. three birds ar.
9) Ar. a cross pattée gu. a border engr. of the last.
10) (co. Devon). Az. a chev. betw. three mural crowns or.