The ancestors of the name Hilingworth date back to the days of the
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in the chapelry of Illingworth in the parish of Halifax in the West Riding of
Yorkshire. This place-name was originally derived from the Old English word
Illinword, which refers to an
enclosure.Early Origins of the Hilingworth family
The surname Hilingworth was first found in
Yorkshire at Illingworth, a village that dates back to 1276 when it was first listed as Illingworthe.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Early History of the Hilingworth family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hilingworth research.
Another 99 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hilingworth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hilingworth Spelling Variations
Hilingworth 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. Many variations of the name Hilingworth have been found, including Illingworth, Ilingworth, Illingsworth and others.
Early Notables of the Hilingworth family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Hilingworth Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Hilingworth family to the New World and Oceana
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 Hilingworths to arrive on North American shores: Joshua Illingsworth settled in Newcastle county in Delaware in 1852; William and James Illingworth settled in Philadelphia in 1834 and 1866.