Worstenholme History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Worstenholme is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived at Woolstencroft in the county of Cheshire. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English personal name Wulfstan and the Old English word croft, meaning paddock, farm or enclosure, or holm, meaning area of dry land. The name thus translates as the dweller at Wulfstan's farm.

Early Origins of the Worstenholme family

The surname Worstenholme was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, before and after the Norman Conquest in 1066, in Wolstenholme, near Warrington, in that shire. Conjecturally they were descended from Woolston in Warwickshire, a pre-Norman Saxon settlement.

Early History of the Worstenholme family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Worstenholme research. Another 162 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1562, 1574, 1600, 1609, 1610, 1611, 1622, 1639, 1640, 1649, 1660, 1670, 1676, 1689, 1691, 1700, 1709, 1717, 1724, 1738 and 1762 are included under the topic Early Worstenholme History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Worstenholme Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Worstenholme has been spelled many different ways, including Woolstenholme, Wolstonholme, Wolstenholme and many more.

Early Notables of the Worstenholme family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir John Wolstenholme (1562-1639), an English merchant who sponsored the Henry Hudson's last mission in 1610 to find the Northwest Passage, eponym of Cape Wolstenholme, Quebec, Canada. He hailed from "an old Derbyshire family, was the second son of John Wolstenholme, who came to London in the reign of Edward VI and obtained a post in the customs. The son at an early age became one of the richest merchants in London, and during the last half of his life took a prominent part in the extension of English commerce, in colonisation, and...
Another 132 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Worstenholme Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Worstenholme family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Worstenholmes to arrive in North America: John Wolstenholme arrived in Pennsylvania in 1865.

The Worstenholme 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: In ardua virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue against difficulties.