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Dewhurst History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Dewhurst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Dewhurst surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in the village of Dewhurst in the county of Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Dewhurst family

The surname Dewhurst was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Dewhurst family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dewhurst research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dewhurst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dewhurst Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Dewhurst include Dewhurst, Dewhirst and others.

Early Notables of the Dewhurst family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

George Charnley Dewhurst, noted Judge

Dewhurst migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Dewhurst Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Henry Dewhurst who settled in Boston in 1645
Arthur Dewhurst, who settled in New England in 1699

Dewhurst Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Dewhurst, who arrived in America in 1801 1
George Dewhurst, aged 32, who landed in Kentucky in 1812 1
Alice, Charles, George, Mary, Thomas, and William Dewhurst, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860

Dewhurst migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Dewhurst Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Dewhurst, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Augustus" in 1846 2
William Dewhurst, English Convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 3
William Dewhurst, aged 27, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Epaminondas" 4
Richard Dewhurst, aged 32, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Epaminondas" 4
Ann Dewhurst, aged 27, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Bucephalus"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dewhurst migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Dewhurst Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Dewhurst, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Berar" in 1865
Mr. Edward Dewhurst, (b. 1843), aged 30, English gardener from Yorkshire travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Surat" going to Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1873, the ship sunk at the Catlins River all the passengers were transported to Dunedin via various rescure vessels 5
Mrs. Mary Dewhurst, (b. 1847), aged 26, English settler from Yorkshire travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Surat" going to Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1873, the ship sunk at the Catlins River all the passengers were transported to Dunedin via various rescure vessels 5
Miss Ellen Dewhurst, (b. 1867), aged 6, English settler from Yorkshire travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Surat" going to Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1873, the ship sunk at the Catlins River all the passengers were transported to Dunedin via various rescure vessels 5
Miss Mary E. Dewhurst, (b. 1869), aged 4, English settler from Yorkshire travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Surat" going to Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1873, the ship sunk at the Catlins River all the passengers were transported to Dunedin via various rescure vessels 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Dewhurst (post 1700) +

David Dewhurst (b. 1945), American politician, 41st Lieutenant Governor of Texas
Colleen Dewhurst (1924-1991), Canadian-born, American actress, known as "the Queen of Off-Broadway"
Robert Matthew "Rob" Dewhurst (b. 1971), English former professional footballer who played from 1990 to 2000
Gerard Powys Dewhurst J.P. (1872-1956), English cotton merchant, banker and amateur footballer, and earned one international cap for England in 1895
Keith Dewhurst (b. 1931), English playwright and television scriptwriter
Wynford Dewhurst (1864-1941), English Impressionist painter influenced by Claude Monet
Jack Dewhurst (b. 1877), English footballer
Fred Dewhurst (1863-1895), English international footballer
George Alric R. Dewhurst (1894-1954), Trinidadian cricketer
Frederick Arthur Dewhurst (1911-1985), Canadian farmer and politician who represented Wadena in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1945 to 1975
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Dewhurst family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. William Dewhurst, American 2nd Class passenger from Fall River, Massachusetts, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 6
Mrs. Elizabeth Ross Morris Dewhurst, English Stewardess from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 7

The Dewhurst 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: Spes mea in Deo
Motto Translation: My hope is in God.

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) AUGUSTUS 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Augustus.gif
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
South Australian Register Monday 26th December 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Epaminondas 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/epaminondas1853.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/