Show ContentsCutword History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Cutword family

The surname Cutword was first found in either Cudworth, a parish, in the union of Chard, hundred of South Petherton, W. division of Somerset or Cudworth, a township, in the parish of Royston, wapentake of Staincross in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1

The Somerset parish seems to be the oldest as it is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Cudeworde. 2

The first record of the family was that of William de Cudewurth who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1243. Over one hundred years later, John de Cudworth was listed in Lancashire in 1384. 3

The Harleian Manuscripts held in the archives of the British Museum list Cudworth of Werneth of Lancashire in MS 1437 (folio 81) and others.

There are two thoughts as to the etymology of the name. The first claims the name is "from Cud or Coit, a wood, and worth, a place, a dwelling - the farm or dwelling in the wood," 4 and the second claims the name was derived from an "enclosure of a man called Cuda," from the Old English personal name + "worth." 5

Early History of the Cutword family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cutword research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1612, 1617, 1624, 1634, 1682 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Cutword History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cutword Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Cudworth, Cutworth, Cudworthy, Cutworthy, Goodworth, Goodworthy, Gutworth and many more.

Early Notables of the Cutword family

Distinguished members of the family include Ralph Cudworth (1617-1688), an English philosopher, the leader of the Cambridge Platonists. He was "born at Aller, Somersetshire, in 1617. His father, Dr. Ralph Cudworth (d. 1624), had been fellow of...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cutword Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cutword family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  5. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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