Cowperthwait Surname History

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Cowperthwait

The Anglo-Saxon name Cowperthwait comes from the family having resided in the village of Cowperthwaite, which was one of several local names with the ending thwaite in the district of North Lancashire. This ending was common in the counties of Cumberland and Westminster.

Early Origins of the Cowperthwait family

Early History of the Cowperthwait family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cowperthwait research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1830 is included under the topic Early Cowperthwait History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowperthwait Spelling Variations

Cowperthwait 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: Cowperthwaite, Couperthwaite, Cowperthwait, Couperthwait, Copperthwaite and many more.

Early Notables of the Cowperthwait family

• Cowperthwaites of Furness

Migration of the Cowperthwait family

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 Cowperthwaits to arrive on North American shores: the Cowperthwaites who settled in Pennsylvania.