Cleworth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Cleworth is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the town of Cleworth, in the south of the county of Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Cleworth family

The surname Cleworth was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat. From their early beginnings, for the next few centuries, the family name also acquired other estates or manors as branches established themselves throughout England. The major conflicts of the eras, such as the War of the Roses, the English Reformation, and the English Civil War sometimes found them to be in opposing camps, with conflicting interests.

Early History of the Cleworth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cleworth research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1379, 1672 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Cleworth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cleworth 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 Cleworth 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Cleworth include: Cleworth, Clewarth, Cleeworth, Cleworthe and others.

Early Notables of the Cleworth family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Richard de Cleworthe, a prominent landholder in 14th century Lancashire

Cleworth migration to the United States +

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 Cleworth or a variant listed above:

Cleworth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter Cleworth, who arrived in Detroit in 1865
Ann Cleworth, who arrived in Detroit in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Cleworth (post 1700) +

Roger Cleworth Jr., American sailor at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
Harold James Cleworth, American motorcycle artist