|
![Show Contents]() Twaits History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Scotland/England Scotland
The distinguished surname Twaits is thought to have emerged in the border region between North England and Scotland. It is derived from the Old Norse "pveit," meaning "meadow, piece of land." Thus, the name originally referred to a "dweller at the meadow." 1 Early Origins of the Twaits familyThe surname Twaits was first found in Norfolk at Thwaite, a parish in the union of Aylsham, hundred of South Erpingham. There is another parish named Thwaite in the union of Loddon and Clavering, hundred of Loddon in Norfolk. Over in Suffolk, Thwaite is a parish, in the union and hundred of Hartismer and further to the north, Thwaites is a chapelry, in the parish of Millom, union of Bootle, Allerdale ward above Derwent, W. division of Cumberland. 2 The earliest known record of the family was Ralph del Thweit, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls for 1206. Ralph de Tweit was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Norfolk in 1221 and later, Alan del Thweit was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301. 3 The name later emerged in the northern county of Yorkshire, borne by a notable family. Early History of the Twaits familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Twaits research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1301, 1379, 1435, 1441, 1445, 1446, 1453, 1471, 1478, 1483, 1490, 1493, 1503, 1638, 1723, 1740, 1797 and 1824 are included under the topic Early Twaits History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Twaits Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Thwaites, Thwaits, Thwaite, Thweat, Thweatt, Thwaytes, Twaite, Twaites, Twaits, Tweats, Thoytes, Thwayte, Threet, Threat and many more. Early Notables of the Twaits familyNotable amongst bearers of this family name during their early history was Robert Thwaits, an English medieval academic administrator, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University (1441-1453) and Chancellor of Oxford University (1445-1446); Sir Thomas Thwaites (c.1435-1503), Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1471 to 1483, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1478 to 1483, and Treasurer of Calais from 1483 to 1490, was knighted in 1483...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Twaits Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Twaits familySome of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Alexander Thwaites, who settled in Boston, Massachussets in 1635; Francis Thwaytes, who traveled to Maryland in 1638; Mary Thwait, who immigrated to Virginia in 1662.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Twaits (post 1700) | + |
- William Twaits (1879-1941), Canadian gold medalist football (soccer) player in the 1904 Summer Olympics
- William Osborn Twaits CC (1910-1985), Canadian businessman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Oil Limited
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
|
