Show ContentsWinburn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

A family of Strathclyde-Briton were the first to use the name Winburn. They lived in Northumberland.

Early Origins of the Winburn family

The surname Winburn was first found in Northumberland, at Swinburn (Swinburne,) a township, in the parish of Chollerton, union of Hexham. " The family of Swinburn took their name from this place, which they probably held previously to the year 1272: in the reign of Edward II. It was the seat and manor of Adam de Swinburn. " 1

Another reference states: "Swinburne in this county [Northumberland] gave name to this ancient family, the first recorded ancestor being John, father of Sir William de Swinburne, living in 1278, and Alan Swinburne, Rector of Whitfield, who purchased Capheaton from Sir Thomas Fenwick, Knt, in 1274. " 2

"Long Witton Hall, an ancient mansion with additions by its late proprietors, the Swinburne family, is finely situated." 1

And over in Bewcastle in Cumberland, "In the 7th of Edward I., license was granted to John Swinburn, to hold a weekly market and an annual fair." 1

Early History of the Winburn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Winburn research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1253, 1280, 1560, 1600, 1623, 1660, 1670, 1687, 1706, 1716 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Winburn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Winburn Spelling Variations

In the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Winburn has appeared as Swinburn, Swinburne, Swinborn, Swinborne and others.

Early Notables of the Winburn family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • Henry Swinburne (1560?-1623), ecclesiastical lawyer, born at York about 1560, the son of Thomas Swinburne of that city, and his wife Alison
  • Sir John Swinburne, (d. 1706) was 1st Baronet from Capheaton, Northumberland, a title created for him on September 26, 1660 honor of the loyalty to Charles I by Swinburne's father and grandfather prio...

Winburn Ranking

In the United States, the name Winburn is the 9,753rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3


United States Winburn migration to the United States +

The freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them:

Winburn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Clay Winburn, a farmer born in Tennessee in 1845
Winburn Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Dorothy Winburn, aged 34, who settled in America, in 1922
  • Michael Winburn, aged 61, who immigrated to the United States, in 1922
  • Rose Winburn, aged 57, who landed in America, in 1922

Australia Winburn migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Winburn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Richard Winburn, English convict who was convicted in Sussex, England for life, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Winburn (post 1700) +

  • Charlie Winburn, American politician, Candidate in primary for Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, 2005 5
  • Bernard J. Winburn (1918-1985), American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1960; Defeated, 1956 5
  • Roland Winburn (b. 1946), American politician, Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives
  • Anna Mae Winburn (1913-1999), née Darden, African American vocalist and jazz bandleader, best known for having directed the International Sweethearts of Rhythm


The Winburn 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: Semel et semper
Motto Translation: Once and always.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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