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The rugged west coast of Scotland and the desolate Hebrides islands are the ancestral home of the Wythspon family. Their name indicates that the original bearer lived in various places throughout Scotland. It may have been a habitation name from a now lost place name, thought to come from the Old English terms wether, which means "sheep," and "spong," or from spang, which means "a narrow strip of land." 1 Habitation names form a broad category of surnames that were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
The surname Wythspon was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland.
The first record of the family was found c. 1290 when Roger Wythirspon, clerk, attested a grant by James the High Steward of lands in Renfrew. 1
The family acquired business interests in Glasgow, and also were tenants of the Cupar Angus Abbey.
In 1496, a payment was thus noted: "Widderspune the foulare that tald talis and brocht foulis to the king." Later, John Wyddirspwn was tenant of Dalbeth in 1518 and a tenant of Cupar-Angus Abbey, c. 1500, was named Wychthirspone. 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wythspon research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1521, 1546, 1547, 1548, 1643, 1646, 1722, 1768, 1792, 1794, 1820, 1850, 1866, 1873, 1894 and 1921 are included under the topic Early Wythspon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling and translation were not standardized practices until the last few centuries. Spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Wythspon has been spelled Wotherspoon, Witherspoon, Weatherspoon, Wetherspoon and many more.
Notable amongst the family at this time was Samuel Wilderspin (1792?-1866), joint-founder of the infant school system in England, was the son of Alexander Wilderspin, and was born at Hornsey, Middlesex, in or about 1792. He began life as a clerk in a merchant's office, but left this occupation to devote himself to the development of infant schools. He was not the originator of the system, the credit of which is generally given to Oberlin, pastor of Waldbach in Alsace, and, in Great Britain, to Robert Owen of New Lanark. But when Lord Brougham and...
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wythspon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The hardy Scots who made the crossing settled all along the east coast of North America and in the great west that was just then opening up. At the time of the American War of Independence, many United Empire Loyalists moved north from the American colonies to Canada. Scottish national heritage became better known in North America in the 20th century through highland games and other patriotic events. An examination of immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Wythspon arrived in North America very early: Grizell Wotherspoon settled in East New Jersey in 1686; she also spelt her name Witherspoon; Elizabeth, Henry, James, John, Margaret Witherspoon, all arrived in New England in 1804.