Rushworth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Rushworth is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Rushworth family lived in Norfolk, in the parish of Rushworth, from whence their name is derived.

Early Origins of the Rushworth family

The surname Rushworth was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat at Ruscuuorda noted in the Domesday Book taken in 1086 by William, Duke of Normandy, as a manse and farm having 52 goats for tax purposes. John, nephew of Waleran, the great Baron of Essex, was the under-tenant holding from the Abbot of Ely, the chief tenant. It was Norman practice for the sons or nephews of Barons to name themselves after their holdings to distinguish themselves from the main line of the family. Hence, John de Rushworth or Rushford.

Early History of the Rushworth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rushworth research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1276, 1368, 1612, 1637, 1666, 1669, 1690 and 1736 are included under the topic Early Rushworth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rushworth Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Rushworth, Ryshworth, Rishworth, Rushford, Rishford and many more.

Early Notables of the Rushworth family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

William Rushworth or Richworth (died 1637), English Catholic controversialist, a native of Lincolnshire, and received his education in the English College at Douay, where he went by the name of Charle...
John Rushworth (c.1612-1690), was the famous English historian who after studying at Oxford settled in London as a barrister. He represented Berwick in the House of Commons but was later flung into th...
John Rushworth (1669-1736), was an English surgeon, born in 1669, son of Thomas Rushworth, vicar of St. Sepulchre, Northampton, during 1666, and afterwards vicar of Guilsborough in Northamptonshire. "...

Rushworth migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Rushworth or a variant listed above:

Rushworth Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Rushworth, who landed in New England in 1643 1

Rushworth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Rushworth, aged 23, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 1
Mrs. Rushworth and Joseph Rushworth both of whom arrived in New York, New York in 1850

Rushworth migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rushworth Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Jonathan Rushworth, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Duncan" on 10th December 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Rushworth (post 1700) +

Robert A. Rushworth (1924-1993), American test pilot in the X-15 program
William Rushworth, founder of Rushworth and Dreaper, English organ-makers in 1828
Verity Rushworth (b. 1985), English television actress
Harold Rushworth (1880-1950), New Zealand politician; MP for Bay of Islands 1929–38
John Rushworth Jellicoe (1859-1935), 1st Earl Jellicoe, a British naval officer who commanded the fleet that fought the Germans at Jutland (1916), he was also governor-general of New Zealand (1920–1924)

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duncan