Atewood History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Atewood surname lived in the county of Salop where they were found since the early Middle Ages. Their name means at the wood, from atte wood. The original bearer, therefore, would have lived at the edge of a wood. 1 2

Early Origins of the Atewood family

The surname Atewood was first found in Somerset where Thomas Attewode was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1243. 3

By the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the spellings and entries were numerous: Geoffrey Ate Wode, Huntingdonshire; Matheus Atewode, Cambridgeshire; Agnes Attewode, Oxfordshire; and Gilbert atte Wode, Sussex. 4

In Norfolk, we found: John Attewode, 1391; and William Attewood, 1439. 5 The next entry was Robert Atwode who was listed in Oxfordshire in 1457. 3

"Its commonest medieval spelling is Atte-Wode, afterwards softened to A'Wood. Almost every considerable wood surnamed a family, and hence the commonness of the appellation, amounting in the Lond. Direct, in its various forms to more than 300 traders. This surname is found so early as Domesday in the form of De Silva. Suffolk. " 2

"The Attwoods belong to a very ancient Worcestershire family of position. In the reign of Richard III. John Attwood, Esq., was the principal tenant of Northwick. Anthony Attwood was buried in Claines church in 1611." 6

In the New World, 'Atwood has ramified strongly in Boston and the district. Philip Atwood sailed for New England in the Suzan and Ellin in 1625.' 7

Early History of the Atewood family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Atewood research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1426, 1454, 1600, 1643, 1650, 1701, 1712, 1767, 1783, 1787 and 1903 are included under the topic Early Atewood History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Atewood Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Atewood are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Atewood include: Attwood, Atwood, Attewood, Atwode, Athwood and many more.

Early Notables of the Atewood family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Attwood, English Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University (1426-1454.)Peter Atwood (1643-1712), was an English Dominican friar from Warwickshire; he was several times cast into prison, and later condemned to death, but was reprieved by Charles II. 8 William Atwood (c.1650-1712), was an English lawyer, Chief Justice of New York in 1701.Thomas Attwood, the son of a trumpeter, viola-player, and coal-merchant, was born in 1767. At nine years of age he became a chorister in the Chapel Royal, where he had for his masters successively...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Atewood Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Atewood family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Atewood or a variant listed above: Thomas Attwood who settled in Virginia in 1663; Joane Attwood settled in Barbados in 1664; Richard Attwood settled in Barbados (with his wife and servant) in 1680. In Newfoundland, Esau, was the owner of a fishing room at Pond Island, Greenspond Harbour, in 1778.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Hotten, John Camden (ed), The original lists of persons of quality; emigrants; religious exiles; political rebels; serving men sold for a term of years; apprentices; children stolen; maidens pressed; and others who went from Great Britain to the American plantations 1600-1700.New York: J. W. Bouton, 1874, Digital
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print