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The Anglo-Saxon name Cawthern comes from the family having resided in Cawthorn, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, or in Cawthorne, in the West Riding. While the names are superficially similar,their origins are different.
The village of Cawthorn was rendered as Caluetun in the Domesday Book, 1 and is derived from the Old English terms calf and tun, which means calf and enclosure, respectively. It meant the farm where calves are raised.
The village of Cawthorne's name appeared as Caltorne in the Domesday Book. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English terms cald and thorne, which mean cold and thorn tree, respectively. It meant exposed thorn tree, and probably indicated a location marked by a solitary thorn tree. 2
The surname Cawthern was first found in Yorkshire, where the Cawthern family held a family seat from ancient times. The first known bearer of the name was William de Calthorn, who was recorded in the 1175 in Yorkshire. The spelling of the name seems to indicate that this branch of the family originated in the West Riding village of Cawthorne, documented in the Domesday Book as "Caltorne."
Over in Lancashire, Nether Wyersdale was an ancient family seat. "The ancestors of the late John Fenton Cawthorne, Esq., M. P. for Lancaster, are said to have held a portion of Wyersdale for six or seven hundred years; and George III. once contemplated the revival of the barony of Wyersdale in the person of Mr. Cawthorne, whom he intended to create lord Wyersdale. Wyreside, an elegant mansion, has long been the residence of the Cawthorne family." 3
In nearby Over Wyersdale, a close branch of the family was found. "William Cawthorne, in 1683, gave a school-house, with a messuage, some land, and a rent-charge of £15, for which 30 boys are instructed; and another school has an allowance of £20 per annum from the Society of Friends." 3
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cawthern research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1175, 1273, 1379, 1605, 1637, 1659, 1719, 1761 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Cawthern History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cawthern has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Cawthorn, Cawthorne, Cauthorn, Cauthorne, Cawtharne, Cothern, Cothern, Cawthern and many more.
Notables of this surname at this time include: Thomas Cawton, the elder (1605-1659), an English clergyman of Presbyterian and Royalist views. He "was born at Rainham, Norfolk, in 1605. was born at Rainham, Norfolk, in 1605. He was sent to Queens' College, Cambridge, by Sir Roger Townshend, and became so remarkable for his piety, that profane scholars used 'Cawtonist' as 'Simeonite' or 'Puseyite' were used more recently...
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cawthern Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Cawtherns to arrive on North American shores: Richard Cawthorne, who settled in Virginia in 1681; Jacob Cawthorn, who immigrated to Virginia in 1719; Charles Cawthorne, a convict who arrived in Maryland in 1720.