Wright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Wright family derived their name from the “Anglo-Saxon wyrhta [which] signifies, in its widest sense, the same as the Latin faber, a workman of any kind, but more specifically an artificer in hard materials. The eminent antiquary who bears this surname observes, that “Smith was the general term for a worker in metals, and Wright for one who worked in wood and other materials. Hence in the later English period smith became the peculiar name of a blacksmith, and wright of a carpenter, as it is still in Scotland.” [1]

Early Origins of the Wright family

The surname Wright was first found in Sussex where Patere le Writh was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1214. Years later, the same rolls but in 1255 and this time in Essex, listed Robert le Wrichte in 1255. Richard le Wrete was found in the Assize Rolls for Kent in 1317 and later, Hugh le Wreghte in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327. Thomas le Wrighte was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327 and Walter le Wrytte in the Subsidy Rollsfor Suffolk in 1327. [2]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Robert le Wriete in Cambridgeshire; Roger le Wriete in Cambridgeshire; and Margery le Wrytte in Cambridgeshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Adam Wrygson; Robert Wreghtson; and Johannes Redebarn, wryght. [3]

“This name is distributed over England, but is comparatively infrequent in the counties on the south coast, and in the northern counties north of Yorkshire. It exists in densest numbers in the counties lying between the Wash and the Thames, being especially numerous in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, and also, but to a less extent, in Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. In the midlands it is nearly as crowded, and has its chief centres in Warwickshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire, etc. It is also very frequent in Lincolnshire and Cheshire, and is somewhat less numerous in Lancashire and Yorkshire. The Wrights have established themselves in Scotland, though in no great numbers, and not usually north of Perthshire.’ [4]

Early History of the Wright family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wright research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1342, 1590, 1657, 1602, 1658, 1609, 1623, 1637, 1664, 1660, 1664, 1615, 1683, 1670, 1685, 1634, 1689, 1687, 1689, 1611, 1690, 1675, 1682, 1654, 1721 and are included under the topic Early Wright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wright Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wright, Right, Write, Wrighte and others.

Early Notables of the Wright family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Laurence Wright (1590-1657), an English physician, notably physician in ordinary to Oliver Cromwell and to the Charterhouse; John Wright (fl. 1602-1658), a major London publisher and bookseller, one of the two booksellers who sold Shakespeare’s Sonnets in 1609 a member of the syndicate that printed the Shakespeare First Folio in 1623; Sir Henry Wright, 1st Baronet (c.1637-1664), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons (1660-1664); John… 
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wright Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wright World Ranking

In the United States, the name Wright is the 31^st most popular surname with an estimated 470,043 people with that name. [5] However, in Canada, the name Wright is ranked the 53^rdmost popular surname with an estimated 37,603 people with that name. [6] And in France, the name Wright is the 7,489^th popular surname with an estimated 1,000 – 1,500 people with that name. [7] Australia ranks Wright as 24^th with 51,694 people. [8] New Zealand ranks Wright as 57^th with 5,096 people. [9] The United Kingdom ranks Wright as 12^nd with 137,986 people. [10]South Africa ranks Wright as 691^st with 9,780 people. [11]

 Migration of the Wright family to Ireland

Some of the Wright family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 132 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

 Wright migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Wright Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Mr. Robart Wright, aged 45, who arrived in Virginia in 1608 aboard the ship “Swan” [12]
• Mr. William Wright, from Worcestershire, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship “Fortune” [12]
• Robert Wright, who settled in Virginia in 1623 with his wife
• Horten Wright, aged 20,who arrived in Virginia sometime between 1624-1625 aboard the ship “Susan” [13]
• Mr. Richard Wright, (b. 1612), aged 23, British settler traveling aboard the ship “Safety” arriving in Virginia in 1635 [14]
• … (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)