Waring History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Waring is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Waring family name comes from the Old French personal name Guarin meaning to shelter or protect. [1]

Early Origins of the Waring family

The surname Waring was first found in Devon at Waringstown where the family are descended from John Waring who later settled in Ireland temp. James I. It was there he founded another Waringstown, a village in County Armagh. Waring’s son, Samuel, brought Flemish weavers to the village, built Huguenot style cottages for them, some of which survive today. The patriarch of the family was Miles Sire de Guerin, who came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066. [2] He was originally a vassal of the Odo, the Bishop of Bayeaux.

Early History of the Waring family

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

Waring Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people’s names were subsequently modified. Waring has been recorded under many different variations, including Waring, Wareing, Waringe, Wearing and others.

Early Notables of the Waring family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Waring (1614-1658), an English author, descended from an old Staffordshire family settled at ‘the Lea’ in the time of Henry VIII. “His father was Edmund Waring and his mother the daughter of Richard Broughton of Owlbury. ” [3] Edmund Waring (c 1638-1687), was an English landowner and politician of Owlbury, Member of Parliament for Bishop’s Castle (1660-1681) and (1685-1687.) William Waring (1610-1679), was an English Jesuit, “who was best known in England by the assumed name of Harcourt, although he was at times known as Barrow, was born in Lancashire.

Waring Ranking

In the United States, the name Waring is the 6,009^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [4]

 Migration of the Waring family to Ireland

Some of the Waring family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Waring migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Warings were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: 

Waring Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Sampson Waring, who arrived in Virginia in 1643 [5]
• Richard Waring, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1664 [5]
• Francis Waring, who arrived in Maryland in 1665 [5]
• Nathanial Waring and his wife who settled in Maryland in 1699

Waring Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Thomas Waring, aged 44, who landed in New York in 1799 [5]

Waring Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Benjamin Waring, aged 39, who landed in New York in 1812 [5]
• Leigh Waring, aged 25, who arrived in Rhode Island in 1812 [5]
• C. M. Waring, who arrived in Baltimore Maryland in 1823
• Edmund Waring, who landed in New York, NY in 1834 [5]
• C Waring, aged 45, who arrived in New York in 1854 [5]

 Waring migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Waring Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• John Waring, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750

 Waring migration to Australia+

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

Waring Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. Robert Waring, British convict who was convicted in Lancashire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the “Calcutta” in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [6]
• Mr. James Waring, Canadian covict who was convicted in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for 14 years, transported aboard the “Augusta Jessie” on 27 September 1834, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) [7]
• Mr. John Waring, British Convict who was convicted in Hertford, Hertfordshire, Englandfor 14 years, transported aboard the “Coromandel” on 25th June 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) [8]
• Harriet Waring, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship “Lysander” in 1840 [9]
• Eliza Waring, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship “Florentia” in 1849 [10]

 Waring 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: 

Waring Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Mrs. Selina Waring, (b. 1833), aged 24, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship “Glentanner” arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd October 1857 [11]
• Mr. George Waring, (b. 1850), aged 7, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship “Glentanner” arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd October 1857 [11]
• Miss Blanche Waring, (b. 1855), aged 2, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship “Glentanner” arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd October 1857 [11]
• Thomas Waring, aged 32, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship “Bombay” in 1865 [12]
• Ann Waring, aged 31, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship “Bombay” in 1865 [12

 Waring migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960’s many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [13]

Waring Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

• Richard Waring, who settled in Barbados in 1654

Contemporary Notables of the name Waring (post 1700) +

• Fredrick Malcolm Waring (1900-1984), American popular musician, bandleader, and radio-television personality
• Antonio Johnston Waring Jr. (1915-1964), American medical doctor but best known for his pioneering contributions in the field of Archaeology
• John Burley Waring (1823-1875), English architect, born at Lyme Regis, Dorset
• Edward Waring (1734-1798), English mathematician, the eldest son of John Waring, a wealthy farmer of the Old Heath, near Shrewsbury, whose family had long dwelt at Mytton in the parish of Fittes or Fitz, Shropshire [14]
• Richard Waring (1911-1994), English actor, playwright, and television writer
• Edward Marsden Waring (1910-1986), British rugby league coach, commentator and television presenter
• Dr. Marilyn Waring CNZM (b. 1952), New Zealand feminist, politician, activist for “female human rights”, author and academic
• Derek Waring (1927-2007), English actor
• William Herbert Waring (1885-1918), Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Robert Waring Darwin (1724-1816), of Elston Hall, an English botanist, eldest son of Robert Darwin of Elston