Whitney Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Whitney Family History

Whitney Family History

The Whitney ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Whitney is a locational name meaning 'of Whitney', a parish in County Herefordshire. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a John de Witteneye, County Suffolk, who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273 and a Henry Whitney, Count Herefordshire, who was registered in the University of Oxford, in the year 1604. A George Whitney and Sarah Todd were married in Canterbury in the year 1676 and a Thomas Whitney was also recorded in the University of Oxford, in the year 1605. A branch of the family moved to Ireland where the name is first recorded in County Louth in the year 1297. It was found in great numbers in Ireland and in modern times is found in County Longford and County Wexford. The Whitney 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 Whitney descendants.