Show ContentsWitcher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Witcher family

The surname Witcher was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), located in Southeast-central England, formerly part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1176 when Richard Wicher held lands.

Early History of the Witcher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Witcher research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Witcher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Witcher Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Witcher, Wicher, Whitcher, Whitched, Witcher, Whicher, Wytcher, Wycher and many more.

Early Notables of the Witcher family

More information is included under the topic Early Witcher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Witcher Ranking

In the United States, the name Witcher is the 4,585th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1


United States Witcher migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Witcher Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Henry Witcher, who settled in Virginia in 1642
  • Hen Witcher, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 2

Canada Witcher migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Witcher Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Witcher, who settled in Quebec in 1815

Contemporary Notables of the name Witcher (post 1700) +

  • Dick Vernon Witcher (1944-2021), American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League
  • John Seashoal Witcher (1839-1906), American politician, lieutenant colonel of the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry in the Civil War, and U.S. Representative from West Virginia (1869-1871)
  • W. C. Witcher, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 13th District, 1930 3
  • Len Witcher, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 5th District, 1978 3
  • Kenneth Witcher, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Tennessee, 1960, 1972 (alternate) 3
  • John Seashoal Witcher (1839-1906), American Republican politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Cabell County, 1866; Secretary of State of West Virginia, 1867-69 3
  • Rear Admiral Robert Witcher Copeland (1910-1973), American officer awarded the Navy Cross in 1944, eponym of the USS Copeland (FFG-25)
  • Nancy Witcher Astor (1879-1964), first English woman MP
  • Frank Witcher McCullough (b. 1889), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, 1917; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from West Virginia, 1924 4

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Albert Ernest Witcher (d. 1912), aged 39, English Senior Assistant Second Engineer from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 5


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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