Surname Walbanks - Meaning and Origin
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Walbanks: What does the surname Walbanks mean?
The surname Walbanks is believed to be of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English words “walh”, meaning “stranger”, and “banc”, meaning “bench”. Therefore, the name Walbanks can be interpreted to mean “stranger’s bench”. This likely acted as a marker for where guests to a residence were expected to sit.
The earliest recorded mention of the name Walbanks is in England, with the earliest documented usage existing in 1297 in Lancashire West Derby, pertaining to the grant of land held by William de Walbankes. This would suggest that the family originated in the North West of England around that latter half of the 13th Century.
Since then, the Walbanks family has become scattered throughout England due to both internal and external migration. Today, there are over 400 people in the UK and USA with the surname Walbanks, with many more claiming a connection with the family through marriage and adoption.
The family name Walbanks may still be seen in certain places in England today, with concentrations of the family name residing in the North West, followed by other locations throughout the country including London and Lancashire.
Order DNA origin analysisWalbanks: Where does the name Walbanks come from?
The last name Walbanks is most commonly found today in Northern England and regions of Scotland, though it is possible to find occurrences of it in the United States, too.
The last name appears to have primarily originated in the countries of England and Scotland. Specifically, in the areas around the borders of England (including the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, and Yorkshire) and those of Scotland (including the counties of Lanark, Ayr, and Midlothian).
The earliest known record of the last name Walbanks is in the area of Northamptonshire, England, in 1273, and can later be found recorded in the manor rolls of St Paul's (where records date from 1285 to 1410).
In Scotland, the earliest known record of someone with the name appears in the Poll Tax Register of 1693-94 in Lanark and in Ayr in 1750.
In the United States, the earliest record of someone with this name is Matthew Walbanks, born in 1617, and arriving in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635. He is believed to have been the progenitor of all Walbanks in the United States, with descendants living in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, and other eastern states.
Today, it is estimated that there are approximately 2,000 individuals living in the United Kingdom with the last name Walbanks, while the last name is much less common in North America.
Variations of the surname Walbanks
The surname Walbanks has numerous variations and alternative spellings, including Walbank, Wallbank, Walbanke, Wallbanke, Wallbanks, Walancks, Walancke, Wollancks and Wollancke. Most of these spellings can be traced back to the same ancestral origin.
The main source of the Walbanks surname is from the Old English word, "wanlanc," which roughly translates to "ridge," and was used to describe someone who lived near a stretch of elevated land. This geographic origin is especially prevalent in Yorkshire, England where the family likely originated from.
Throughout history, Walbanks has mainly been a northern English, and especially Yorkshire, surname. It appears in numerous records in the Yorkshire regions, from which many of the current variants were derived.
An alternate derivation of Walbanks is from the ancient Norman or Anglo-Saxon surname, "Waelinc," meaning "stranger," and usually referring to someone who had come into the area from abroad.
Other variants may also have been formed from other influences like other surnames, nicknames and even spelling mistakes made when entering a name into a document.
Overall, the most common variants of Walbanks appear to be Walbank and Wallbank, although numerous other variants of this surname do exist. Even though the many variants of the name, they all usually refer to the same ancestral heritage.
Famous people with the name Walbanks
- David Walbanks: UK musician and publican
- Guy Walbanks: British entrepreneur and founder of the Virgin Group
- Lola Walbanks: Colombian actress and author
- Roger Walbanks: British active investor and asset manager
- Sir Peter Walbanks: former Governor General of New Zealand
- Chris Walbanks: English male model
- Meg Walbanks: Australian professional golfer
- Owen Walbanks: British investor and banker
- Adele Walbanks: British kitchen designer
- Ron Walbanks: American attorney and judge