Birth ca 1610/1620, Norfolk, EnglandDeath bef 1685, Henrico Co., VA, age abt 75. The ancestor of most of the Womacks in America today is believed to be William Womack who was born about 1610 to 1620 presumably in England, County of Norfolk. [1] There are still Womacks in that area. On a tour of England in 1970 a Womack store was noticed in Sleaford. William is believed to have come to Henrico County, Virginia between 1630 and 1640. There were three daughters Ann, Mary, and Jane. Ref: Valentine Papers, Vol. III, pp. 1766-1802 [1] Later research credits his place of birth as Wragby, Lincolnshire, Eng. William patented land in the Bermuda Hundred Section of Henry Co., VA in 1665. Ref:CDXVII Century Applic. on William Womack b 1620 Eng./Va. In 1657. William Womack on tithing list of Henrico Co., VA. in 1679. Va. Rec. Bk. 1677-92 pp. 492, 716, 762. Va. State Library. Also "Rand, Hale & Allied Families" by Nettie Hale Rand, 1940. Other references: Valentine Papers pp1772, 1774. William & Mary College Quarterly V-24 p. 208. Virginia Historical Magazine, Minutes of the Council and General Court of Virginia p 369, Chesterfield Co., VA p. 48 by Lutz. The descendants of William Womack remained essentially southern families. In the 1790 census there were at least 30 Womack families in Virginia. There were 11 in North Carolina and 2 in South Carolina. Later they went westward to Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri and later still to the northwest and farther west. They went south to Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and other states. The Womack name is spelled with many variations in the records: Womack, Wamack, Wamoche, Wommack, Waamock, Womocke and many others.

The most used pronunciation of the families in North Carolina and Tennessee put the accent on the first syllable as Wom’ack. In a few instances an "r" was used in the first syllable as War’mack. Note: There is a Womack family in Massachusetts whose ancestry has not been connected with the William Womack family of Henrico Co., VA. There was a Henry Womack and wife Phoebe Rondall of Massachusetts who had a son George b 9 Apr. 1653 Accomack Co., VA. m. Elvira Lansing b Middlesex Co;, MA d/o George Lansing and Mary Afton. The children of George and Elvira (Lansing) Womack were all born in Accomack Co., VA.: Daniel b 1678 m. Sarah Listen; Jerry b 1680 m. Emily Payson; Martha b 1681 m George Todd; Mary b 1682 m William Lerner; Henry b 1684 m Sarah Scranton; David b 1686 m Mary Thomas; Phoebe b 1687 m John Creighton; John b 1689 m Eleanor Huntley. The children of David and Mary(Thomas) Womack were: Nicholas b 1710 m Phoebe Nerbe; Tilley b 1712 m Jonathan Upsall and Eliza Ann b. 1715 m James Pitkins. Reference: The Womack & Allied Families by Thomas pub. 1932, p. 154 Early Settlers of Mass. By Stull pp 19-33. Vital Rec. of Mass. By Stiles Vol 3 thru 9 Note:Archer Womaack was listed as settler in Virginia in 1619. An Archer Womack of Greenup Co., KY was born 1719 in Virginia. Ref: Womack Family Assoc. William WomackSr. Is thought to be the "immigrant ancestor of the Womack family with all its various spellings.

William Womack married Mary Jane Allen, a widow who died prior to 1685. William immigrated from the British Isles probably during the early 1630/40’s settling in the area known as the "Bermuda Hundred". The family became members of the first Quaker Colony which according to church records, originated in 1656. These members were for a large part of English extraction from the Tide Water section of Virginia,i.e., Cedar Creek and Henrico County. 2 Although proof is lacking, our Womacks are believed to have English roots. The Oft-told tradition of their having come to America from Wales is discounted by all who have researched the name. It is thought the Welsh tradition might have evolved from a maternal line…perhaps Watkins (Gwatkins), but, here again, no proof has been established. It has been suggested that the name might be of Norman origin. Discussion of this possibility was discussed in Sons of theConquerer, by Leslie G. Fine. "Robert, son of Wimarc, a genuine Sussex pre-Conquest Norman, seems to have been strangely neglected by the earnes seekers after Norman paternity. According to Round, Wimarc was a Breton name. I do not remember a pedigree being run out from Robert, and I am certainly not suggesting one should be, but it is a remarkable fact that this Norman, one of the small band whom we know to have been settled in England in Edward the Confessors reign, should have been left unclaimed."

Egbert Hudson Womack, a New York Attorney, published several books on this lineage, including a respected work on the Womack family titled Cherry Grove. [This booklet (as it pertains to our English roots and the early family in Virginia) included in the volume as a separate chapter]. In a letter dated October 1, 1958, to Mr. Oscar Womack of Daylight, Tennessee, the following paragraph is extracted. "I note that one of your inquirers is interested in the origin of the name. I have done some research on the question and it is my view that it is derived from the Anglo-Saxon personal names ‘Wigmearc’, ‘Wihomarc’, and ‘Wimarc’,(a Mercian Warrior). See Barber’s British Family Names (London, 1903), p. 279. ‘Wig’ was one of the common Anglo-Saxon macian, (middle English maken). Wimarc or Wymac was a feminine personal name. Robert, the son of Wimarc, is mentioned several times in the Domesbury Book (1086). He is pictured at the death bed of Edward in the Bayeux Tapestry. However, Robert’s descendants apparently did not take Wimarc as the basis of their surname". At the time of the Domesday Book, there was an undertenant named Wihomarc who is described as being a follower of Count Alain. In the lists of wills probated in England between 1541 and 1670, we find the surnames Wymarch, Wymark and Wymake. These variations seem near enough to the current pronunciation and variations in spelling to support the derivation suggested above. It is hardly necessary to add that many explanations of the derivation or meaning of the name have been given and some authorities do not agree with my view." In 1958, when the above was written, Egbert Hudson Womack, was living at 20 Exchange Place in New York City. Indications that the Womack immigrant may have come from Norfolk, England are tenuous, but interesting. This matter is discussed in Cherry Grove by Egbert Hudson Womack: "Katherine (Corbett) Womack, third wife of Bishop Laurence Womack, was sister of Frances Corbett, who married Thomas Kemp in 1649. Ref: J.J. Muskett, in Suffolk Memorial Families, Vol. 2, p. 232. Bishop Womack named ‘Robert Kemp, my nephew’ in a [1685] codicil to his will. Frances Kemp, in her will dated 7 February 1689, left 5 pounds to ‘my dear sister Womack’, and ‘Kath Womack’ was a witness to her will. Richard and Matthew Kemp, and probably their brother, Edward, came to Virginia. They were second cousins of Thomas Kemp. It has been suggested that the first Womack may have come over as an assistant to, or at the instigation of, one of the Kemps. While this is plausible, no definite proof has been found." [Note: Old Virginia and Her Neighbors by John Fiske gives great detail about the Kemps.

Used with permission of Roger Womack