The name Wheeler is a case in point. This occupational name is derived from the Old English word “hweogol” or “hweol” which means wheel. In Middle English, the word was spelled “whele”.
Wood Craftsmen as Wheelwrights or Wheelers
Through history, people were identified by family tradition, location, personality or occupation. They were usually known by only one name. As duplication of first names became problematic in growing villages and towns, surnames were obtained in order to differentiate between families. A man known as John, the son of John became John Johnson. The introduction of poll taxes meant that surnames were required.
The wheelwright was an important wood craftsman in the community. Wooden wheels were fragile and in need of constant repair. Wheels were used not only on carts and wagons. They were important pieces of equipment in the manufacturing processes such as spinning and fulling (cleaning) woolen cloth, and drawing water.
Legend has it that the person responsible for taking stolen goods to a hideaway for Cornish smuggling gangs was called a ‘wheeler’.
Surname Variations Found by Genealogists
Whele, Wheler, Wheeller, Whealler, Whealer, Wayler, Whyler, Whaler, Le Whelare, Le Welere, Le Wegheler, Le Weweler
- Roger le Weweler, 1249 Sussex Occupation List
- John le Whelare, 1275 Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls
- Hugh le Welere, 1279 Cambridgeshire Hundred Rolls
- Thomas le Wegheler, 1284 Sussex Feet of Fines Tax Roll
- Gilbert Whyler, 1351 Surrey Pipe Rolls
Historical Locations
Until recent times, priests, officials, and clerks were responsible for the recording of names and pertinent information. The name was written as it was pronounced. A surname was often spelled differently in various records.
The name Wheeler (and derivations) has been prominent on the Isle of Wight and in south-central England. It has been present in Ireland since about 1603 when a prominent English family by the name of Wheeler settled in County Kilkenny. Many of that family’s descendants can still be found there, and in Limerick where another branch of the family settled.
Famous Wheelers
Sir Mortimer Wheeler (1890-1976) was born in Glasgow, Scotland and educated in England. He was keenly interested in archaeology for historical, not monetary purposes. Wheeler developed the idea of volunteers working on archaeological sites. His box-grid idea for ‘digs’, seen as the most systematic method, is used universally.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) was a poet in the United States. Her poem, Solitude (1883), which contains the lines “Laugh, and the world laughs with you”, is her most enduring work. Her line, “Love lights more fires than hate extinguishes” is inscribed on a slab in San Francisco’s Jack Kerouac Alley.
Arthur Oliver Wheeler (1860-1945) was born at the family estate near Kilkenny, Ireland. He was educated in Galway and London before moving to Collingwood, Canada with his family. His western Canada survey work included photo-topographical surveys in British Columbia, Alberta, through the Canadian Rockies, and along the continental divide. He was one of the founders of the Alpine Club of Canada.
Seager Wheeler (1868-1961) immigrated to Canada’s prairies from England in 1885. Best known internationally as a wheat competition prizewinner, he authored many articles describing farming techniques. He was renowned for his development of new grain varieties and invention of farm implements.
As demonstrated with the Wheelers, genealogical searches can take family historians into many fields.
Sources:
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland Enjoying Territorial Possessions Or High Official Rank: But Uninvested with Heritable Honours by John Burke, Published by Colburn, 1835
Seager Wheeler - The Man and His Influence
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