Wilkinsons Genealogy

This page is intended to be your first step in tracing Wilkinson genealogy. The resources available include a database of user-submitted family trees, Wilkinson-related documents, pointers to Wilkinson-related on-line resources, and an interactive bulletin board. Please contact the website if you have anything to share with the Wilkinson community.

Database Users can submit links to their pages or files of their Wilkinson-related genealogy to be added to the database at any time, free of charge.

Documents There is a section on this page for books and documents relating to Wilkinson genealogy. If you have a related book or document for sale, available for lookups, or ready for submission to the site, please feel free to contact the site and a reference will be added.

Family History In the family history section is information on the general history of the Wilkinson family, gathered from a variety of sources.

On-Line Resources There are also links to genealogy pages on the web that contain references to Wilkinsons. I try to keep these links up to date, but it's easy to overlook a few new or obsolete links. Please let me know of any omissions or errors.

Commercial Products This site occasionally receives questions about software to use for family research. A list of the programs used as well as links to some competing software titles is listed here.

Requests and Messages from Other Users Finally, there is a bulletin board for posting of requests for information from other Wilkinson researchers. This bulletin board system was installed in March, 2010. All posts prior to that time are located at the Requests Archive. Adding a request is free and easy. Please limit your requests to Wilkinsons.

Unrelated to this site, there is a Wilkinsons Genealogy list server, run by George W. Durman, that allows Wilkinson researchers to broadcast genealogy messages to other researchers. To subscribe to the list, send a message to WILKINSON-L-request@rootsweb.com and put "subscribe" (no quotes) in the body of the message (not the subject line - anything you put in the subject line is ignored). The list server is not associated with the Wilkinsons on the Web site, but they are very complimentary.

In general, the best way to find those missing links using the Wilkinsons on the Web site is:

  1. Submit a brief synopsis of who you are looking for to the requests forum.
    It's easy to do, just follow the instructions.
  2. Search the requests forum to see if another researcher has posted a familiar line.
  3. Search the Wilkinson Genealogical Database for familiar names and contact the associated researcher.
  4. Submit as many details of your entire family tree as you would like to have published to the Wilkinsons Genealogical database for other researchers to search.
    It's free and easy. GEDCOM format is preferred, but nearly any format is accepted. Please write to scottw at wilkinsons dot com for details.
  5. Spend some time browsing the sites listed below.

Good luck on your search!

To aid in navigation about the page, the following "quick jump" links are provided here and in other locations. Please allow the page to fully load before clicking to ensure proper operation.

DatabaseDocumentsFamily HistoryOn-Line ResourcesCommercial ProductsRequests and Messages from Other Users


The Wilkinson Genealogical Database

The Wilkinson genealogical database is comprised of data collected and combined with the data sent to the site by other researchers. Note that some names may be duplicated if more than one researcher has submitted the same information. For information on a specific person, please send mail to the researcher listed (if there is one for the person in whom you are interested).

As of January, 1999 - due to regular complaints and the occasional threat of a lawsuit - all individuals in the database who are determined to be living are blanked out. Only their names remain. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I can't afford to pay legal costs.

Click Here to Enter The Wilkinsons on the Web Genealogy Database.

(Latest Update: 12/13/2004)

Wilkinson Genealogical Documents

  • The Wilkinson Book
    The family history, descendants, and biography of General James Wilkinson of the American Revolutionary War. Click on the title for a picture and more complete description.
  • Memoirs of the Wilkinson Family
    Published in 1869 by Rev. Israel Wilkinson, this document has been scanned in and is available on-line (click the title). Thanks to David Blackwell for originally providing the book to the world and Bonnie Munce for transcribing and posting the text.
  • Wilkinson-Johnson and Related Families
    This typewritten compilation, written by A. T. Wilkinson in 1967, was recently donated to the Wilkinsons on the Web site by Juanita Criddle Niswonger of Jackson, MO. The Wilkinson line traces back to Charles Wilkinson of Johnston Co., NC in 1788, ending with A. T. and family in Missouri in 1967.
  • Hal Peterson Letter
    A letter written by Hal Peterson to his young cousins detailing their Wilkinson heritage. Includes descriptions of the family origins, the area they inhabited in England, as well as anecdotes about specific family members.
  • Commemorative Biographical Record - Samuel Wilkinson
    A short biography of Samuel Wilkinson of Kerhonkson, copied from "Commemorative Biographical Record", submitted by J Schrade (username@upper-cumberland.net). Includes Samuel's family history, including his family from Yorkshire, England.
  • Bible Records Of The Garner & Wilkinson Families Of St. Mary's County, Maryland
    Submitted by John S. Wilkinson from a contribution by Mrs. Helen Hart Burns & Willis Clayton Tull, Jr. The entire text is available by clicking on the title.
  • Genealogy of Wilkinson and Kindred families
    Submitted by Thomas Thompson (tlt@fidnet.com), who added the note:
    "M.M. Wilkinson, of Shelby, MS, published the 'Genealogy of Wilkinson and Kindred families', in 1949. This 546 p. report discusses in detail the Wilkinsons of Amite and Wilkinson Counties, Mississippi. My copy was given to me by an aunt (now deceased)in Starkville, Ms, around 1980. Feel free to send inquiries to me about your lineage possibly being listed in this book. My great grandmother was Sarah Wilkinson Thompson, of Gloster and Liberty MS."
  • Gus Wilkinson Diary
    The content of the diary of William Augustus Wilkinson of Wilkinson County, Mississippi, USA has been donated to this site. It has been converted to html, and you are invited to browse the converted text. Gus started every entry with the weather, even the days when people were born, married, or died. An interesting look into the life of an American farmer in the 1800s.
  • Biographical and Historical Reminiscences of John W. Wilkinson
    Submitted by Kelli Sayre (Zelda092@aol.com), who writes:
    "My 4th great-grandfather, John W. Wilkinson (05-27-1793 to 10-15-1867) wrote Biographical and Historical Reminiscences. He talks about his ancestors as well as his life, including marriage(s) and children. I would be willing to do look-ups (if I didn't get overwhelmed). It is approximately 150 pgs. single typed."
  • The Wilkinsons of England and America (1650-1997)
    is being published as 50 pages of a hard cover volume including Allison Family History. It covers the descendants of Thomas WILKINSON and Agnes RAW who migrated in 1835 from Yorkshire to Pennsylvania and then Illinois. The indexed section (750+ names) documents their descent from Rowland Wilkinson and Agnes HANDLAY of Sedbergh, Cumbria, England, and includes photographs of Crosedale Beck and of Howgill, Wilkinson residences dating back to 1650.
    Contact Pat Hemphill at jkhempsr@worldnet.att.net for details.
  • The Drum Family Record and Related Wilkinson Family in the United States of America
    By the Drum-Wilkinson Clan, Arthur W. Drum, Sherrill's Ford, North Carolina, May 1961. A copy of the Wilkinson-related information was made by Mr. Robert L. Richardson of Austin, TX, during his last visit to the Catawba County Library in Newton, NC. (This is the home of James Wilkinson of Dinwiddie County, VA - the Rev War private not the officer.) Mr. Richardson is willing to do lookups and can be contacted via email at Rob_Richardson@prodigy.com.
  • Our Wilkinson and Related Families
    By Clarine Smith Tucker
  • Our Wilkerson and Wilkinson Families
    By Thomas B. Wilkinson

Family History

There are a variety of origins for the surname Wilkinson. The most obvious is "son of Wilkin", where Wilkin comes either from William or "son of Will". (In other words, Wilkinson means grandson of Will.) However, there are a variety of other sources for the name, including McQuilkin, a popular origin from Scotland.

Many years ago, the administrator of this website travelled to England, where the Wilkinson name is much more common. While there, he stopped into one of the genealogy shops that have sprung up around the country and had a marvelous conversation with the proprietor, who managed to convince him to purchase several products related to Wilkinsons genealogy. One was a coat of arms (currently on the Coat of Arms page at this site), and the other was a "scroll" containing research on the family name. The proprietor went to great lengths to assert that the information that it contained was accurate. However, much of the information seems contradictory to other sources. Some of the sources that the company claims to use include: the Domesday Book, the Ragman Rolls, the Wace poem, the Honour Roll of the Battel Abbey, the Curia Regis, Pipe Rolls, the Falaise Roll, tax records, baptismals, family genealogies, and local parish and church records.

Out of fairness to the company that sold the scroll, their name, phone number, and mailing address are included so that interested parties can contact them for their own copies. They also have a web page for ordering stuff.

Hall of Names
White Gables
Smallwood Hey Road
Pilling
Preston, PR3 6HJ
Tel: 01253 790596
http://www.heraldry2001.com/heritage21g.html

Some of the information obtained is included below in green. I encourage you to contact the company if you want to know more.

NEVER ASSUME THAT ANYTHING THAT YOU READ ON THE INTERNET IS CORRECT UNLESS YOU HAVE INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED IT OR IT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW TO BE TRUE.

You have been warned. This website makes no claims to the veracity of the following information.

Apparently, the Wilkinson surname is Norman in origin. The first record of the surname was found in Durham, where the clan was seated from ancient times. They were descended from Robert de Wintona, of Glamorgan, one of the 12 knights who came into Glamorgan with Robert Fitzhamon, a Norman noble, in 1066. Fitzhamon was Sheriff of Kent and founder of Tewkesbury.

The name Wilkinson was first assumed in about 1250. Wilkinsons held estates in Durham in Hulam, Coxhoe, Eddercres, Sheriton, The Granges, Hurworth Bryan, White Hurworth, Langdale, Stanley, Holmeside, Tursdale, Whitton, Brafferton, Woodham Burn, Rushyford, Stoballee, and in locations in Northumberland. They also held estates in Scarborough, York, Pontefract, Kirkbrigg, and Winterburn Hall in Yorkshire. Of note among the family at this time was Lancelot Wilkinson of Kyo in Durham.

Of those going to North America, included were: William Wilkinson settled in Virginia in 1606 (14 years before the Mayflower); Cornelius Wilkinson was married in St. John's, Newfoudland in 1815; Anthony and Anne Wilkinson settled in Virginia in 1651; John Wilkinson settled in Salem, Mass. in 1630; Thomas Wilkinson with his wife and child settled in Virginia in Nova Scotia in 1774.

Notables on the social scene during this time: Rev. Canon Alan Wilkinson, Theologian; Professor Alexander Wilkinson, Law; Professor Andrew Wilkinson, Surgeon; Sir Denys Wilkinson, Physics; Sir David Wilkinson; Rt. Rev. Charles Wilkinson, Bishop of Niagra; Sir Harold Wilkinson, Shell Oil; Lancelot Wilkinson, Classics; Sir Peter Wilkinson, Diplomat; Sir Martin Wilkinson, Chairman of the London Stock Exchange.

Wilkinsons have prospered all over the United States and around the world. In 1990, the surname Wilkinson was the 631st most popular surname in the United States according to the US Census name frequency server. According to Hamrick Software, there are about 1 Wilkinson per 1000 people in most US states, as shown in the picture below (from 1997).

Wilkinson frequency map

According to the World Names profiler, which uses publicly available telephone directories or national electoral registers, sourced for the period 2000-2005, the Wilkinson name is most popular in the UK with nearly 13,000 Wilkinsons per million (Wpm). Australia is second with just over 850 Wpm. New Zealand comes in third at 816 Wpm. The U.S. is fourth at 232 Wpm. Wilkinsons are most prevalent in the northern region of the UK, where there are a whopping 3402 Wpm.

The World Names profiler also reports that the most popular first names for Wilkinsons worldwide are (in order) Timothy, Wayne, Eric, Caroline, Amanda, Dennis, Harold, Darren, Claire, and Anne.

On-line Wilkinson Genealogy Resources

Genealogy Projects

Information On-Line

Databases containing Wilkinsons: Researcher name (number of Wilkinsons)

Miscellaneous Genealogical Links

  • The descendants of Joyce Wilkinson, of Black Creek and her husband, William Clopton, of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County, Virginia invite you to visit http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~clopton/. The site features a collection of lengthy, well researched and extensively documented essays and genealogies.

Commercial Genealogy Products

I personally manage my family tree and the on-line database with Family Tree Maker. It's good from a few names to many thousands of names. I prefer the standard version, but the Deluxe versions can be fun if you're just starting out. Or, if you're really cheap, you might find old Family Tree Maker versions for sale secondhand. Most of the functionality is still there, although the interface is much nicer on the newer versions and the web search capability in the 2010 version is truly remarkable and has significantly expanded my tree.

Equal time for competing products. I can't vouch for them, but Amazon users have left some reviews that might be useful.

The graphic below displays the currently most popular books at Amazon.com on Genealogy research. It updates every time you visit the page. Hopefully you'll find something interesting if not this time, then perhaps the next time you visit.


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