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Waters name
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In the 5th Century, the fierce Saxon and Angle tribes migrated to England and pushed the ancient Britons to the frontiers of the island. The noble Waters family are descendants of these invading tribesmen. Originally, however, the Anglo-Saxon people were each known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is an extremely interesting one. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages, under ht e feudal system of government, and often reflected life on the manor and in the field. At this time, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that denoted where a person came from. This type of surname, called local surname, was derived from place names: where a person lived, held land, or was born. The name Waters is a local type of surname and the Waters family lived in Shropshire. The name Waters indicates that the original bearer of the name lived close to a prominent body of water such as a lake or river. Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the English language lacked definite spelling rules for most of its history. The official court languages, which where Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Changes in the spellings of Anglo-Saxon names often reflected the evolving nature of the English language. During the mid-11th century, the Old English tongue spoke by Anglo-Saxons gave way to Middle English, which incorporated elements of the Norman French language spoken by the conquerors of England. The introduction of the printing press by William Caxton in 1477 and the publication of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary in 1755 led to the standardization of modern English. In the meantime, even literate people varied the spelling of their own names. For example, the famous playwright William Shakespeare variously spelled his surname "Shakespere", "Shakespear", Shakspere", and Shaxspere". Similarly, this family name has been spelled Waters, Water, Waitrs, Waidr, Waders, Wader, Waitr, Waidrs, Wadder, and Wadders. Wince the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spelling of he surname in the ancient chronicles. During the period after the collapse of the Roman Empire known as the Dark Ages, there was a decline in education and the majority of people were illiterate, including ever emperors like the French king Charlemagne. In medieval England, men of the church were the sole guardians of the written word and important documents were preserved within the sturdy walls of the ancient monasteries. Monks translated and revised classical texts and they compiled surveys for the purpose of recording births, deaths, marriages and land purchases. As a result of the frequency of court intrigue and the battles fought between feudal lords and barons, it became necessary to register the people and wealth of the land. The findings were subsequently recorded in various ancient manuscripts such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, the Inquisitio, the Ragman Rolls, the Domesday Book, baptisimal records, parish records, cartilaries, and tax records. The history of the Anglo-Saxon surname Waters appeared in a significant number of these records and the earliest origins of the distinguished family were found in Shropshire. The Waters family resided in this area prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. John Waters was Royal Herald to King Richard III in the 15th century. Soon the family branched out looking for more opportunities and the name was found at Lenham in Kent, the county of Shropshire, and Sarnau in Wales. Throughout the Middle Ages the Waters family and the English nation managed to flourish despite plagues, famine, and the harsh realities of life at this time. However, during the modern era, England was devastated by religious and political conflict. Under the Tudors the problems of succession, strife between Catholics and Protestants, and the fear of foreign invasion had mainly been resolved. Later under the House of Stuart, there were conflicts between the king and Parliament, and between Catholics and Protestants. The Stuarts came to power at a time when the middle class was becoming increasingly powerful and willing to assert its rights through Paliament. The Stuarts were ousted from power first by Cromwell and then by the "Glorious Revolution" which resulted in the long series of Jacobite uprisings. As a result of the chaos and upheaval at home, numerous English families voluntarily or involuntarily left England and migrated to Ireland, Canada, the United Sates, Australia, New Zealand and the other colonies held by the British Crown. In Ireland, Protestant settlers and those who fought for or supported Cromwell were granted lands, which had been confiscated, from the Catholic Irish. While some of the confiscated lands were returned during the reign of King Charles II, most remained in the hands of newcomers. Other English families migrated to Ireland in search of work in the newly created Irish Industries.
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