Exworth History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe illustrious surname Exworth is classified as a habitation surname, which was originally derived from a place-name, and is one form of surname belonging to a broader group called hereditary surnames. Habitation names were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Topographic names, form the other broad category of surnames that was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Early Origins of the Exworth familyThe surname Exworth was first found in Devon where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Hackworthy, a tiny village noted for a wood called Hackworthy Brakes. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 A.D., this village, originally pre Conquest called Hacheurde, was held by the wife of Hervey de Hellean or Helion, a Norman noble who came from Hillion, near St. Brieux in Brittany and was a Tenant-in-Chief in Devon. This Baron Hellean was the ancestor of the Asseristons, or Asshetons, or Ashtons of Devon. It was from this same source that, conjecturally, the Hacksworthy is also derived. For further reading of the Helleans of Devon and Brittany, please refer to the Devon Worthies. Early History of the Exworth familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Exworth research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1380 is included under the topic Early Exworth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Exworth Spelling VariationsSince the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules, Breton surnames have many spelling variations. Latin and French, which were the official court languages, were also influential on the spelling of surnames. The spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. Therefore, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England after the Norman Conquest, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. The name has been spelled Hackworthy, Hawksworthy, Axworthy, Acksworthy and many more. Early Notables of the Exworth familyMore information is included under the topic Early Exworth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Exworth familySome of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Exworth, or a variant listed above: Thomas Axworthy who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1849.
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