Winsett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Winsett comes from the family having resided in Buckinghamshire. The family name Winsett is derived from the Old English personal name Wine, meaning friend, and the Old English word hlaw, meaning hill or mound, and means that the original bearer of the name lived near a hill owned by someone name Wine.1

Early Origins of the Winsett family

The surname Winsett was first found in Buckinghamshire, at Winslow, today a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Cottesloe with a population today of about 4,500. The town dates back to 795, when it was listed as Wineshlauu as land given by King Offa to the Abbey of St. Alban's. Years later in the Domesday Book, it was listed as Weneslai, land held by the Bishop of Lisieux and at that time was in the Murley Hundred and the manor there belonged to the Church of St. Alban. 2

Apart from being the source of this distinguished family's heritage, the market-town and parish of Winslow was well known in the 1800s for another reason which would be quite out of place today. "The white poppy was so successfully grown here, in 1821, as to produce 60lb. of opium, worth at least £75, from four acres, and 143lb. in the next year from eleven acres; for which, on both occasions, the prize of 30 guineas was awarded by the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce." 3

Early History of the Winsett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Winsett research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1595, 1607, 1620, 1633, 1636, 1644, 1655 and 1663 are included under the topic Early Winsett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Winsett Spelling Variations

Winsett has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Winslow, Winselow, Winsloe and others.

Early Notables of the Winsett family

Notables of the family at this time include Edward Winslow (1595-1655), an English Pilgrim leader on the Mayflower who served as the 3rd, 6th and 10th Governor of Plymouth Colony in 1633, 1636, and finally in 1644. Born at Droitwich, near Worcester, he was the grandson of Kenelm Winslow (d. 1607) of Kempsey. "In July 1620, with his wife and three servants, he sailed from Delft Haven in the Speedwell to...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Winsett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Winsett Ranking

In the United States, the name Winsett is the 17,081^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Winsett migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Winsetts to arrive on North American shores:

Winsett Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Annie E. Winsett, aged 40, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
Benjamin F. Winsett, aged 47, who landed in America, in 1909
Maurice E Winsett, aged 11, who settled in America, in 1909

Contemporary Notables of the name Winsett (post 1700) +

Jerry Winsett (b. 1950), American actor, writer and singer who has appeared in many television shows including Coach, Mr. Belvedere, It’s Garry Shandling's Show and Newhart
Robert Emmett Winsett (1876-1952), American composer and publisher of Gospel music
John Thomas "Long Tom" Winsett (1909-1987), American Major League Baseball left fielder

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/