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Whitworth Name Meaning
English: habitational name from any of several places named Whitworth, from the Old English byname Hwita meaning ‘white’ (or the adjective hwit ‘white’) + Old English worð ‘enclosure’. The chief places of this name are in County Durham and Lancashire, but the surname is fairly evenly distributed throughout northern England and the Midlands.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press
https://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=whitworth
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Early Origins of the Whitworth family
The surname Whitworth was first found in Durham at Whitworth, a parochial chapelry, partly in the union of Auckland.
"According to the Boldon book, this manor was held by Thomas de Acley, by the service of a quarter of a knight's fee; it was afterwards possessed by the Whytworths and the Nevills, and subsequently by the Shafto family. " [1]
Alternatively, Whitworth, a chapelry in the parish of Rochdale, Lancashire may be a possibility. "The manor was granted by 'divers donators' to the convent of Stanlow in Cheshire, in the reign of John; among these donors was Sir John de Elland, parcener of the lordship of Rochdale, who gave one moiety of the manor. " [1]
Another source notes "Whitworth, Lancashire was Whyteword in the 13th cent., Wyteworth and Whiteworth in the 14th century. " [2]
As the Durham locale is clearly the oldest and mention is made of the family holding the manor in very early days, we suggest that this locale is the more likely place of origin for the family.
As to confirm this supposition, Lower notes "chapelries in Durham and Lancashire. The Whitworths of co. Durham were descendants of the Shaftos of Northumberland. " [3]
Early records of the family are very scant, but we did find Elyas de Witewurde listed in the Pipe Rolls of Surrey in 1194 and John de Whiteworth in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1336. [4]
https://www.houseofnames.com/whitworth-family-crest
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Family Motto: "As long as I have breath, I have hope."
Randy O. Bowling 501.679.4500 Greenbrier, AR 72058
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