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Irish surname

Wellesley: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Uaisléigh · Norman 'de Welleslegh', i.e. of Wellesley, a spot in Somerset

Woulfe (1923) lists Wellesley with Wesleie and Wesley under Uaisléigh, Norman 'de Welleslegh', 'of Wellesley, corruptly Wesley, a spot in Somerset, a short distance from Wells'. He says the family came to Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion and settled in Kildare and Meath, and that the Duke of Wellington belonged to the Meath branch. Webb adds that Richard Colley took the surname Wesley under a 1728 bequest from Garrett Wesley of Dangan, Co. Meath, and that Colley's descendants reverted to the form Wellesley about 1796.

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Coat of arms associated with the Wellesley surname
Irish formUaisléigh
MeaningNorman 'de Welleslegh', i.e. of Wellesley, a spot in Somerset
CountiesKildare, Meath
Other spellings3
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Origin of the Wellesley name

Woulfe: Norman 'de Welleslegh', 'of Wellesley, corruptly Wesley, a spot in Somerset'. 'This family came to Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion and settled in Kildare and Meath.' They 'assumed the Irish patronymic surname of Mac Ualronta'. 'To the Meath branch belonged the Duke of Wellington.'[1]

  1. 1728Garrett Wesley of Dangan, Co. Meath, dies childless; his estate passes to Richard Colley on condition he take the Wesley name and arms.[3]
  2. 1746Richard Colley, who took the name Wesley, is created Baron Mornington.[3]
  3. 1796About this year Richard Colley's descendants revert to the form Wellesley.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. KildareWoulfe: the family settled in Kildare and Meath.[1]
Co. MeathWoulfe: settled in Kildare and Meath; the Duke of Wellington belonged to the Meath branch.[1]

Notable people named Wellesley

Garrett Wellesley, Viscount Wellesley and Earl of Morningtonb. 19 July 1735Of Dangan Castle; Webb's entry gives the family background and the change of name from Wesley.[3]
Richard Colley Wellesley, Marquis Wellesleyb. 1760Born in Grafton-street, Dublin, 20 June 1760; educated at Eton and Oxford; one of the first Knights of St Patrick (1783).[4]
Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellingtonb. 1769Born at 24 Upper Merrion-street, Dublin, 29 April 1769; younger brother of Richard Colley Wellesley.[5]

Other spellings

Wesley · Wesleie · Welsley[1][2]

The Wellesley coat of arms

Webb (1878) says the 1728 bequest of Garrett Wesley required Richard Colley and his heirs male to take 'the surname and coat-of-arms of Wesley'. This is a note on one family's inheritance, not a record that everyone named Wellesley is entitled to arms.[3]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Wellesley surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Wellesley surname: questions

What does the surname Wellesley mean?

Woulfe gives it as Norman 'de Welleslegh', meaning of Wellesley, 'corruptly Wesley, a spot in Somerset, a short distance from Wells'.[1]

Is Wellesley an Irish or a Norman name?

Woulfe calls the family Norman and says it came to Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion, settled in Kildare and Meath, and assumed the Irish patronymic surname Mac Ualronta.[1]

Is Wellesley the same name as Wesley?

Woulfe lists Wesley and Wellesley together under Uaisléigh, and Matheson lists Welsley and Wesley with Wellesley. Webb says Richard Colley took the name Wesley under a 1728 bequest, and his descendants about 1796 reverted to Wellesley.[1][2][3]

Was the Duke of Wellington Irish-born?

Webb says Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, was born at 24 Upper Merrion-street, Dublin, on 29 April 1769. Woulfe says the Duke belonged to the Meath branch of the family.[5][1]

Sources

  1. Uaisléigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/u/uaisleigh.php
  2. Wellesley — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/2042.php
  3. Wellesley, Viscount Garrett — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/ViscountGarrettWellesley.php
  4. Wellesley, Richard Colley, Earl of Mornington — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/MarquisRichardColleyWellesleyEarlofMor...
  5. Wellesley, Arthur, Duke of Wellington — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/ArthurWellesleyDukeofWellington.php