Follow
From Connecticut, 1600s-1800s Local Families and Histories New England Families, Vol. IV, Genealogies and Memorials, Pg. 208: "The WELLS or WELLES family of America is descended from the family "de Welles" of Lincolnshire, England. The de Welles family, who were Barons by summons to parliament, originated in the Vaux or Baux, Bayeux, or De Vallibus family of France. The family name is traced back to 794, being of high and sometimes royal rank. After the Conquest, Harold de Vaux, a near connection of William the Conqueror, with three sons, Barons Hubert, Ranulph, and Robert de Vallibus, settled in England, and the descent of the family is through Robert. The Vaux family settled originally in Normandy, where they were allied by marriage to most of the royalty of Europe. The earliest account of the founders of England of this family is that of Bertrand De Vaux, who 929 atteneded a tournament. Robert De Welles, son of Robert de Vallibus, had a son Thomas, born about 1175, and his son was Henry de Welles, born in Essex about 1200. His son Thomas, born about 1240, succeeded his father in 1293 to the Manor of "Little Raynes", and left as heir Walter de Welles, born about 1270. "Rayne Hall", after the Welles' long possession of it was names "Welles Hall"
(NB: The aforementioned appears to be a spurious attempt to connect the Wells family of colonial Connecticut to the Welles family of Lincolnshire, the Vallibus/Vaux family of Normandy and England, and the counts of Bayeux in Normandy.)