Atwoode History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Atwoode first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having 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 Atwoode familyThe surname Atwoode 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 Atwoode familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Atwoode 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 Atwoode History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Atwoode Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Atwoode has appeared include Attwood, Atwood, Attewood, Atwode, Athwood and many more. Early Notables of the Atwoode familyDistinguished 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... Migration of the Atwoode familyAt this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Atwoode arrived in North America very early: 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.
|