Surname Wylshere - Meaning and Origin
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Wylshere: What does the surname Wylshere mean?
The last name Wylshere is an English family name believed to have originated in Cheshire, particularly in the county town of Chester. It is thought that the name could have been derived from various spelling variations of the original surname. The common spellings include Wulshaw, Wyleshire, Wisselshe, Wilshere and Wylshere.
The meaning of the name could have been derived from several sources. One source of the name is from the Old English pre 7th century word "wiligere", meaning gamekeeper. This suggests the family could have been involved in managing hunting estates in the area.
An alternative interpretation of the name could be from the early Medieval Germanic personal name "Wilshere", a compound of "wil" meaning "will" or "desire" and "heri" meaning "army". This indicates that the Wylsheres could have been a lineage of warriors who served in the local manors and baronial households.
Finally, the modern version of the name could have been derived from the Old French expression "Wisehart", meaning "strong or brave heart". This conveys the notion that the Wylshere family were a courageous people who would fight for their honour and stand their ground when faced with adversity.
Overall, the Wylshere family name is thought to have a long and noble lineage in Cheshire and further afield. It is likely to have been derived from a number of sources, all of which indicate that the family held a strong sense of duty and had the courage to stand up for what they believed in.
Order DNA origin analysisWylshere: Where does the name Wylshere come from?
The last name Wylshere is most commonly found in the United Kingdom. Specifically, it is most commonly found in the south of England, particularly in the counties of Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, and Kent. In general, Wylshere is predominantly an English surname, albeit one that is especially common in the south of the country.
It is likely that the Wylshere surname has its origin in the Old English words “wil”, meaning “desire”, and “scir”, meaning “bright”. Together, these words may have alluded to a quality of brightness and desirability that an individual was associated with.
The Wylshere surname is found in a range of records spanning the centuries. For example, in the 1379 poll tax returns in the county of Kent, a John Wylesher and a John Wyleshyr are recorded. In the 1781 tax returns for the town of Reading, Berkshire, an Edward and a William Wylshere, and a William Wylsyer, can all be found.
Today, the Wylshere name is still found in the United Kingdom, albeit less commonly than in the past. Nevertheless, many people retaining the Wylshere surname can trace their heritage back to the places in the south of England mentioned above.
Variations of the surname Wylshere
The surname Wylshere is derived from the Old English personal name Wigheleshere, which is composed of the elements wigol, meaning "war" and the element sige, meaning "victory." The various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include:
Wigelsher, Wigleshere, Wiglesher, Wiglesherwood, Wiglor, Wygleshere, Wyglesher, Wyglesherwood, Wyglor, Wilshere, Wileshere, Wilesher, Wilesherwood, Wilser, Wilsher, Wilsherwood, Wilshere, Wylsher, Wylsherwood, Wylshery, Wylshere, Wyleshere, Wylesher, Wylesherwood, and Wyller.
The surname Wylshere is particularly prevalent in North America. The surname has been found in records in the United States as far back as the late 1700s. The most commonly found variant of the surname in America is Wilesher. Interestingly, early records mention spelling variants Wileshur, Wylsheare, Wilissher and Welwissher.
The Anglo-Saxon origin of the surname Wylshere gives a clue as to its regional origin in the United Kingdom. Records show that it is most likely to be found from Yorkshire in the North, Devon and Cornwall in the South West, Kent in the Southeast and Northumberland and Durham in the Northeast. In Wales, it is most commonly found as Wylsher, Wylsherwood and Wylshery.
In Scotland, the variants Wilshere, Wilsher and Wilsherwood are found. Finally, one variant of the surname is found in the Isle of Man, namely, Wiglesherwood.
Famous people with the name Wylshere
- Jack Wilshere: Professional football player currently signed to Premier League club West Ham United
- Alex Wilshere: Australian Rules Footballer
- Tom Wilshere: Professional cricketer for Sussex County Cricket Club
- Adrian Wilshere: Professional footballer and former chairman of Crook Town Football Club
- Tony Wilshere: Singer and rhythm guitarist for British rock band Wishbone Ash
- Alan Wilshere: Professional Warzone player
- Damien Wilshere: American football player for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Gareth Wilshere: English footballer
- Graham Wilshere: Professional rugby league player
- Elizabeth Wilshere: Founder of digital marketing company Sparkling Promotions