Roberd (Wimarc) FitzWimarc (abt. 1005 - bef. 1075)

Born about 1005 in Calvados, Normandy, France

Descendants

Died before 1075 before about age 70 in Essex, England

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Biography

Robert was one of the barons that followed Edward the Confessor to England. "As staller, he was a member of the royal household and he was one of those present at the deathbed of the king; on the Bayeux tapestry he is probably the person supporting the cushion on which the dying Edward leans. Since Little Domesday reports (Domesday Book, 2.44, 44v, 45v) that some of his estates were given him ‘after the death of King Edward’ (a circumlocution for the unmentionable reign of Harold II) it can be presumed that he continued in Harold's service." (Ref: ODNB)

"His mother, Wimarc (Guimara) has a Breton name, but that of his father is not recorded. Since he is said to have been related both to the Confessor and to William I, he was perhaps an illegitimate scion of the Norman ducal house; Osbert de Clare says he was ‘outstanding [praeclarus] among the Norman people because of his birth’ (‘La vie de S. Édouard’, 108). Robert attested charters of the Confessor from 1059 and had built his castle at Clavering, Essex, by 1052." (Ref: ODNB)

Keats-Rohan more recently however writes that:^[1]

the realization by Horace Round that Robert fitz Wimarc's name was a matronym was fatally complicated by his insistence that it was a Breton personal name Wimarca. Historians since have been divided as to whether or not to regard Robert as part Breton. It seems highly unlikely.

He was a large landholder even before 1066. Domesday shows him with 150 hides of land in seven shires, the bulk of it in Essex. He would have been the tenth richest layman below the rank of earl.

Robert probably died around 1070, as his son Swein held the same office in the 1070s.

Education

Seems to have been a prudent man, with a fair degree of wisdom who helped to ease the transition from Saxon to Norman England

Note

He was a kinsman of both Edward the Confessor and of William the Conqueror and was present at Edward's death bed. (Ref: Wikipedia)

Known in modern literature as Robert fitz Wimarc, he took the name of his mother, Guimar, as an identifier, filio/filius Wymarche/Wymarcha . More reliable results will show in a search for Wimarc, Wymarche or Wimarche.

Cousin of Duke William and Edward the Confessor . ^[2][3]

Earliest reference showing his name (found on the internet as of 2014-08-18. By Robert Gordon Latham from The English Language, page 303, Edition 5. Publisher Walton, 1862.

EADWEARD 1066 (No 828 Kent)
Eadward King gret Eiidsi Arcebiscop and Godwine Biscop on Rowcestre and Leofwiine eorll on Kente and Esgar stallere and Roberd Wymarche sune stallere and alle mine pegnes on Kente frendlic.

Parents

Rodbertus filius Wimarce pater Sueni^[4]

Father: name unknown: listed as Quidam (someone), genere Normannus^[5] - related to Emma de Normandie, Queen of England . ^[6]
Mother: Guimare, anglicized into Wimarce/Wymarcha^[7]

Detached Ansfrid Normandie as father due to lack of sources.

Some Known Names^[8]

Robert Wimarc^[9]

Robert filio/filius Wimarcha

Rodberd Wymarche

Robert fitz Wimarc

Rotberti filii Witmarce^[10]

Robert the Deacon

Robertus Draco

Robert Diaconus

Roberd Viccomes

Roberd, Wymarche sune, Stallere^[11][12]

Rotbertus pater Sueni^[13]

Robert fitz Guimar^[14]

Robert the Staller^[15]

Robertus filius Wimarc^[16]

Occupation

• Sheriff of Essex and Staller for William I (Staller and Dapifer/Senechal are used as synonyms in Domesday Book)^[17]
  
• Magnate of Kent.^[18]
  
• Held the chief canonry of the collegiate church of St. Mary of Bromfield, which he passed to his son-in-law.^[19]

Children

1. Sweyn fitz Robert (Suen filius Roberti) alias Sweyn de Essex. ^[20]
2. daughter, married Richard Scrob (Scroop/Scrope)^[21]; their sons, Osbern and William, were adults by 1066. ^[22]

Death

Confirmed living in 1076.^[23]

Sources

1. ↑ Keats-Rohan, "Introduction", Domesday People, p.19
2. ↑ Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (after shown as TSANHS), Volume 2, p. 3, added 2014-08-15, amb
3. ↑ The household of William I and William II, Regesta regum anglo-normannorum, 1066-1154, Introduction, p. xxii. (1913), added 2014-08-17, amb
4. ↑ Domesday Names: An Index of Latin Personal and Place Names in Domesday Book, p. 277, edited by K. S. B. Keats-Rohan, David E. Thornton, added 2014-08-16, amb
5. ↑ TSANHS, Vol 2, p. 33
6. ↑ TSANHS, Vol 2, p. 3
7. ↑ The History of Rochford Hundred, p. 521, added 2014-08-15, amb
8. ↑ These names are listed in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Volume 2, pp. 8-10, 14. Other sources found are noted beside each name.
9. ↑ Maitland, pp. 63, 4, 129, 132-134, added 2014-08-18, amb
10. ↑ Domesday Names, p. 182
11. ↑ Latham, p. 303, added 2014-08-16, amb
12. ↑ This name also found in A history of England under the Anglo-Saxon kings, Volume 2, p. 300, added 2014-08-16, amb
13. ↑ Sir Henry Ellis, A General Introduction to Domesday Book, Volume 2, p. 206, added 2014-08-16, amb
14. ↑ Regesta regum anglo-normannorum, 1066-1154, p. 8: 1069, Winchester, #29, added 2014-08-17, amb
15. ↑ Regesta regum anglo-normannorum, 1066-1154, p. 7, Whitsuntide, 1068, #23
16. ↑ Reaney, p. 3523, added 2014-08-18, amb
17. ↑ The household of William I and William II, Regesta regum anglo-normannorum, 1066-1154, Introduction, p. xxii. (1913)
18. ↑ TSANHS, Vol 2, p.10, added 2014-07-15, amb
19. ↑ TSANHS, Vol 2, pages 1-4
20. ↑ TSANHS, Vol 2, page 16
21. ↑ TSANHS, Vol 2, page 1
22. ↑ C. P. Lewis, Richard Scrob (fl. 1052–1066), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 14 Aug 2014, amb, © Oxford University Press 2004–11, All rights reserved: see legal notice. Richard Scrob (1052–1066): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23505. Osbern fitz Richard (c.1066–1088): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/45588
23. ↑ The History of Rochford Hundred, p. 522, added 2014-08-15

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• A history of England under the Anglo-Saxon kings, Volume 2 By Johann Martin Lappenberg, Elise C. Otté. Translated by Benjamin Thorpe. Publisher G. Bell, 1884. Original from Princeton University. Digitized Feb 2, 2010
• DEPUTY KEEPER. Published 1879. Original from Oxford University. Digitized Sep 16, 2008. (Google ebook)
• Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Volume 2, Robert fitz Wimarc and his descendants, Contributor Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (Great Britain). Publisher Society, 1879. Original from Oxford University. Digitized Jan 24, 2007
• The History of Rochford Hundred ...: From Former Authors, Ancient Manuscripts and Church Registers, Treating Upon Various Subjects, Including Notices of Churches and Chapels, the Clergy, Biography and Genealogy of Families ... and ... Other Matters, Volume 2, Author Philip Benton, Publisher A. Harrington, 1888, Original from the New York Public Library, Digitized Mar 21, 2007
• Sir Henry Ellis, A General Introduction to Domesday Book: Accompanied by Indexes of the Tenants in Chief, and Under Tenants, at the Time of the Survey: as Well as of the Holders of Lands Mentioned in Domesday Anterior to the Formation of that Record: with an Abstract of the Population of England at the Close of the Reign of William the Conqueror, So Far as the Same is Actually Entered, Volume 2. Publisher Under the direction of the Commissioners on the Public Records of the Kingdom, 1833
• Robert Gordon Latham, The English Language, Edition 5. Publisher Walton, 1862. Original from Harvard University. Digitized Mar 30, 2009
• Domesday Names: An Index of Latin Personal and Place Names in Domesday Book, edited by K. S. B. Keats-Rohan, David E. Thornton. Publisher Boydell & Brewer, 1997.
• Regesta regum anglo-normannorum, 1066-1154 (1913). Author: Great Britain. Sovereign; Davis, H. W. Carless (Henry William Carless), 1874-1928; Whitwell, R. J. (Robert Jowitt), d. 1928; Johnson, Charles, 1870-1961, Volume: 1. Publisher: Oxford : Clarendon Press. Call number: SRLF_UCI:LAGE-1421402. Digitizing sponsor: Internet Archive. Book contributor: University of California Libraries. This book has an editable web page on Open Library. Includes bibliographies: v.1. Regesta Willelmi Conquistoris et wilhelmi Rufi, edited by H. W. Davis.- v.2. Regesta Henrici Primi, 1066-1135, edited by Charles Johnson and H. A. Cronne.- v.3. Regesta Regis Stephani ac Mathildis Imperatricis ac Gaufridi et Henrici Ducum Normannorum, 1135-1154, edited by H. A. Cronne and R. H. C. David.- v.4. Facsimiles of original charters and writs of King Stephen, the Empress Matilda, and Dukes Geoffrey and Henry, 1135-1154, edited by H. A. Cronne and R. H. C. Davis
• A. Folkard, The Antiquity of Surnames, Part II from The Antiquary, Volume 13, pp. 101-102
• Percy Hide Reaney, A Dictionary of English Surnames: Wymark, Waymark. Tavistock classics in the history of psychiatry. Compiled by Richard Middlewood Wilson. Edition reprint. Publisher Psychology Press, 1991
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB)
• The History of Rochford Hundred ...: From Former Authors, Ancient Manuscripts and Church Registers, Treating Upon Various Subjects, Including Notices of Churches and Chapels, the Clergy, Biography and Genealogy of Families ... and ... Other Matters, Volume 2, by Philip Benton, Publisher A. Harrington, 1888, Original from the New York Public Library, Digitized Mar 21, 2007
• Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Volume 2, Contributor Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (Great Britain). Publisher Society, 1879. Original from Oxford University. Digitized Jan 24, 2007
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