Walker Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Walker Family History

Walker Family History

The ancient origin of the name Walker was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Meaning 'the walker', this is an occupational name from someone who was a fuller, or thickener of woollen cloth. Variants include Walcker, Welcker and Walkmill. In the Middle Ages these names were found in the North and West of England, the highest concentrations being in an area centred on Leeds and the Grampian region of Scotland. This name is of Celtic origin and is found throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in these countries. Examples of such are a Geoff le Walkare, London, who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273 and a Peter Walkar, County Gloucestershire, who was recorded in the 'Placita de Quo Warranto', in the reign of Edward I.

In Ireland this name and its variants were introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. During the 'Plantations of Ireland' in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Ireland was colonized by the English Crown with this period marking the end of Gaelic supremacy in Ireland. This period brought an influx of settlers into the country but, unlike the earlier Anglo-Norman invasion of the twelfth century that resulted in a full integration into Irish society of the new arrivals, the same never occurred with the Ulster Planters who maintained their own distinct identity.

The Walker family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Walker descendants.