History of the Wright Surname

In early 800's the fierce Viking invaders swept over the North Sea to France, then the land of the Frankish tribes. The Viking raids were particularly terrible in France, and in the ninth century Paris was plundered four times. Each time the invaders slipped up the River Seine under cover of night. Finally, after the French King had paid them a vast amount of money, the Vikings withdrew to settle on the coast of northern France. This area of France is still called Normandy after the Norsemen. These early Saxon Vikings settled at what is now Bayeux, France. This town was almost completely destroyed during D. Day, World War II. It was one of the landing sites for the allied armies. The Saxons were warlike, adventurous, more so than other Teutonic Tribes. Early as 400 AD they commence to settle along the coast of France, extended to the mouth of the Loire River, and finally with the Franks. Their expeditions to England finally resulted in the foundations of the Kingdoms; Essex, Sussex and Wessex; now absorbed as part of England, The Anglias, being as the same stock as Saxons, gave to England its name, The Angle Land, or England. At the time of the settlement at Bayeux, surnames, or family names, were not in process of formation. Wryde, or Wryta, in Old Saxon, meant a skilled workman. hereditary surnames were unknown in England in 1066, and were just coming into use in Normandy. The Norman's brought the fashion into England. Names originated not only from the location, but from the occupation, or some noted incident in the man's life. In 1066, under William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), the Normans crossed the channel and landed on the South coast of England, defeating the English King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. On Christmas Day, 1066, William the Conqueror, was crowned King of England in Westminister Abbey John Wryta, founder of the Wryde, or Wryta Family, as the name became known in Bayeux, Normandy, was an expert woodcarver, and in the manufacture of wooden and metallic articles and weapons of war. His sons became experts as well. His descendants took up the manufacture of both wooden and metallic weapons of warfare, they became noted for this and were give the name "The Wryta Family" John Wryta of Bayeux, Normandy, and 4 of his brothers accompanied King William and fought under his banner at Hastings. Two of the brothers, Richard and William were knighted for bravery prior to the invasion. Sir William was Captain of the Body Guard of William the Conqueror. The other three brothers Henry, John and Thomas were subsequently knighted by the King and given grants of land and manors int the counties of Norfolk, Sussex and Essex, settling in the vicinity of London and later moving over the various British Isles. Many were Knights , Lords, Members of Parliament, Judges and occupied other high official positions. Some members of the family settled in Scotland. Sir William Wright, was granted Lands in Ireland and became the progenitor of the Wrights in Ireland. In the first US Census of 1790, poor spelling clerks recorded the name as Right, Write, and Reyt, but Wright is the proper spelling.