Walker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Walker surname lie with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name Walker began when someone in that family worked as a fuller, whose job it was to scour and thicken raw cloth by beating it and trampling it in water. The surname Walker is derived from the Old English word wealcere, which means fuller. “In the North of England, fullers’ earth is called ‘walker’s clay,’ and a fulling-mill a ‘walk-mill.’ In Scotland, to walk, still means to full cloth.” [1]

Early Origins of the Walker family

The surname Walker was first found in Yorkshire, where they were believed to be descended from a very ancient tribe called the Wealceringas, and the name is considered to be one of the oldest in England. Their early records have been obscured but in the 12th century, they were recorded as landholders in Yorkshire.

“This name is mainly characteristic of the midlands and of the north of England. It is comparatively infrequent in the counties between the Wash and the Thames. It is absent or rare in the southern part of England south of a line joining the mouths of the Thames and the Severn. Its great home in the midlands is in the counties of Derby and Nottinghamshire. In the north it is most frequent in Durham and Yorkshire.” [2]

One of the first records of the family was Richard le Walker, rector of the church of St. Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire in 1396. [3]

Early History of the Walker family

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

Walker Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Walker has appeared include Walker, Walkere and others.

Early Notables of the Walker family (pre 1700)

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Edward Walker (1611-1677), Garter King of Arms in 1676; Robert Walker (c. 1597-1673), an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England (1640-1643) and (1661-1673), a strong Royalist during the English Civil War; Robert Walker (1599-1658), an English portrait painter.

Walker World Ranking

In the United States, the name Walker is the 25^th most popular surname with an estimated 544,653 people with that name. [4] However, in Canada, the name Walker is ranked the 41^stmost popular surname with an estimated 41,592 people with that name. [5] And in Quebec, Canada, the name Walker is the 920^th popular surname. [6] Newfoundland, Canada ranks Walker as 606^th with 75 people. [7] France ranks Walker as 6,973^rd with 1,000 – 1,500 people. [8]Australia ranks Walker as 14^th with 56,838 people. [9] New Zealand ranks Walker as 13^rd with 6,485 people. [10] The United Kingdom ranks Walker as 11^st with 140,155 people. [11] South Africa ranks Walker as 830^th with 8,390 people. [12]

 Migration of the Walker family to Ireland

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

 Walker migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Walker arrived in North America very early: 

Walker Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• John Walker, and Isabel Walker, who all immigrated to Virginia in 1623
• Mr. Roger Walker, aged 22, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship “Providence” [13]
• Augustine Walker, who settled in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1630
• Mr. Robert Walker of Lancashire who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship “Ambrose” as part of the Winthrop Fleet, found in Boston [14]
• Mrs. Sarah Walker of Lancashire who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship “Ambrose” as part of the Winthrop Fleet, found in Boston [14]

Walker Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Anne Walker, who landed in Virginia in 1702 [15]
• Ellen Walker, who landed in Virginia in 1703 [15]
• Christen Walker, who settled in New Bern, North Carolina in 1710
• Adrius Walker, who arrived at Philadelphia in 1738
• Adriess Walker, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 [15]

Walker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Adam Walker, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1800 [15]
• Eliza Walker, aged 24, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 [15]
• Armstrong Walker, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1811 [15]
• David Walker, aged 45, who arrived in Ohio in 1812 [15]
• Edwin Walker, who was naturalized in Georgia in 1812

Walker Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Archibald Dunn Walker, who arrived in California in 1901 [15]
• Mr. Adam Walker, aged 13, Scottish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship “Cynosure” in 1863
• Mr. Franklin J. Walker, Infant, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship “Cynosure” in 1863
• Mr. John T. Walker, aged 5, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship “Cynosure” in 1863
• Mrs. Sophia Walker, aged 27, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship “Cynosure” in 1863