Wilmore History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Wilmore family

The surname Wilmore was first found in Hampshire at Woolmer, between Liphook and Bordon. The surrounding Woolmer (Wolmer) Forest, is a Royal forest. Woolmer Green is a small village and civil parish in Hertfordshire.

“The surname is more probably from the Anglo-Saxon personal name Wulmer.” [1]

The earliest record of the family was found at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086 when Wlmer, Vlfmer, Wlmer were all listed at that time [2] A few years later, Ulmer Aeltredes was listed in Suffolk c. 1095. [3] This latter source also notes that the name could have been derived “from a lost Wolmoor in Ormskirk, Lancashire ‘wolves moor’. ” [3] But he also concurs that the aforementioned Woolmer Forest origin may be a possibility. Woolmore Fram in Melksham, Wiltshire was derived from “wolves’ pool.”

Early History of the Wilmore family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wilmore research.

Wilmore Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wolmer, Woolmer, Wollmore, Woolman, Ullmer, Ulmer, Wollmer, Wulmar, Wulmare, Wilmore, Wilmer, Wilmere, Wulmere, Woolmore, Woolmore, Wollmor and many more.

Early Notables of the Wilmore family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard Wolman or Woleman (d. 1537), English divine, Dean of Wells, presumed to have been the son of Richard Wolman, cater to John Howard, duke of Norfolk. “There was a family of the name at Alderford, Norfolk. In 1478 Richard Wolman was a member of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He also studied abroad.

Wilmore Ranking

In the United States, the name Wilmore is the 12,702^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [4]

 Wilmore migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Wilmore Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. William Wilmore, English convict who was convicted in Salford, Greater Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Atlas” on 27th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) [5]
• Mr. George James Wilmore, British Convict who was convicted in Clerkenwell, London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Corona” on 13th October 1866, arriving in Western Australia, Australia [6]

 Wilmore migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Wilmore Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Joseph Wilmore, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841
• Joseph Wilmore, aged 30, a shepherd, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Catherine Stewart Forbes” in 1841
• Jane Wilmore, aged 23, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Catherine Stewart Forbes” in 1841

Contemporary Notables of the name Wilmore (post 1700) +

• Elister “Larry” Wilmore (b. 1961), American Peabody Award, Emmy Award and Humanitas Prize winning writer, actor and television producer, best known for his work on The Bernie Mac Show
• Marc Edward Wilmore (1963-2021), American ten-time Primetime Emmy Awardnominated television writer, producer, actor, and comedian, best known for his work on The Simpsons, older brother Larry Wilmore
• Barry Eugene “Butch” Wilmore (b. 1962), American NASA Astronaut with over 259 hours in space [7]
• Gayraud Stephen Wilmore Jr. (1921-2020), American writer, historian, ethicist, educator, and theologian, known for his role in the Civil Rights Movement
• Dale Wilmore McMillen (1880-1971), American proponent of the use of feed supplements in animal husbandry, founder of Wayne Feeds and Central Soya