Show ContentsWidder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Widder was originally a baptismal name as in "the son of Wydo" which is English for Guido or Guy [1] or it was an Old English name derived from "widuwe, widewe (widow)" [2]

Early Origins of the Widder family

The surname Widder was first found in Norfolk where William filius Wydo was listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. The same roll lists Reginald filius Wydonis in Hunts county. Other early variants of the name include Thomas Wydowe who was listed during the reign of Richard II (1367-1400) and much later Annabella Wydow was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. This latter listing is quite unique as at this time, female entries were very rare. [1]

Another source notes Richard Wyduesone listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Bedfordshire in 1309; Peter la Wydewesone in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1326; John la Wydewesone in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327; and William le Wydusone in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1332. [2]

Early History of the Widder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Widder research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1297, 1481, 1502, 1505, 1576, 1588, 1594, 1595, 1603, 1604, 1619, 1645, 1732, 1898 and 1990 are included under the topic Early Widder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Widder Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Widdow, Wyddow, Wyddowson, Widdowson, Widdas, Widders, Widdis, Widwise, Widdars, Widow, Widows, Widdos, Widdoes and many more.

Early Notables of the Widder family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • David Vernon Widder (1898-1990), an American mathematician


United States Widder migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Widder Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Augustine Widder, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Widder (post 1700) +

  • Samuel Widder, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Kings County 14th District, 1907 [4]


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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