Duckwithey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Duckwithey is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the settlement of Duckworth in the county of Lancashire. 1 The surname Duckwithey belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Duckwithey family

The surname Duckwithey was first found in Cambridgeshire where one of the earliest records is of Hugo de Duckworth in 1216 who was listed in the Rotuli de Oblatis et Finibus (p. 587) and his descendant Sire John Duckworth was summoned to a great council of Westminster in 1324. 2

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Henricus de Dukeworth and Johannes Dukeworth as holding lands there at that time. 1

Early History of the Duckwithey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Duckwithey research. Another 191 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1310, 1379, 1647, 1648 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Duckwithey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Duckwithey Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Duckwithey are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Duckwithey include: Duckworth, Dykeward, Duckword, Duckward, Duckwort, Duckwart, Dickworth, Dickward, Dickword and many more.

Early Notables of the Duckwithey family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Duckwithey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Duckwithey family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Duckwithey or a variant listed above: J. Duckworth who settled in New Orleans in 1823; J. Duckworth settled in New York in 1823; H. Duckworth settled in San Francisco Cal. in 1852.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)