Dodworthy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Dodworthy family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in the township of Dodworth, in the parish of Silkstone in Yorkshire.

Early Origins of the Dodworthy family

The surname Dodworthy was first found in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire at Dodworth, a township, in the parish of Silkstone, wapentake of Staincross. 1

Today Dodworth is South Yorkshire and is a village in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley. The Domesday Book of 1086 lists the place name as Dodesuu(o)rde and literally meant "enclosure of a man called Dod(d) or Dod(d)a," from the Old English personal name + "worth." 2

The first record of the family was Lefode de Dodesuurda who was listed in the Inquisitio Eliensis (included in the Domesday Book as lands of Ely Abbey) in 1086.

Years later, Adam de Dodworth was listed in the Feet of Fines of Yorkshire in 1375. 3 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Walterus de Dodworth; and Willelmus de Dodword. 4

Early History of the Dodworthy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dodworthy research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1544, 1585, 1593, 1599, 1629, 1631, 1654 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Dodworthy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dodworthy Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Dodworthy include Dodsworth, Dodworth and others.

Early Notables of the Dodworthy family

Notables of the family at this time include Matthew Dodsworth (c.1544-1631), an English judge and sometime before 1593, appointed as Judge of the Admiralty Court in England's Northern Counties. Roger Dodsworth (1585-1654), was an English antiquary and son of Matthew Dodsworth, registrar of York Cathedral, was born at Newton Grange, Oswaldkirk, Yorkshire, in the house of his maternal grandfather, Ralph Sandwith. "The date, according to his own account, was 24 July...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dodworthy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dodworthy family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dodworthy or a variant listed above: James Dodsworth who settled in Barbados in 1671; another James Dodsworth settled in Maryland in 1775; M. Dodsworth arrived in San Francisco in 1852.

The Dodworthy Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pro lege senatuque rege
Motto Translation: For King and the law

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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)