Show ContentsHollinwithay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Hollinwithay family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found as inhabitants by holly bushes. The surname Hollinwithay originally derived from the Old English word hollins. 1

Early Origins of the Hollinwithay family

The surname Hollinwithay was first found in Chester at Hollingworth, a township, in the parish of Mottram-in-Longden-Dale, union of Ashton-underLyne, hundred of Macclesfield. 2 1

Today, the village is in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester.

The family descends from "a township in the parish of Mottram, co. Chester, possessed by the family in very early times." 3

The village dates back to before 1059 when it was listed as Holisurde. This was the spelling used in the Domesday Book of 1086. By the 13th century, it was listed as Holinewurth and literally meant "holly enclosure." 4

"From a period prior to the Conquest, the village wholly belonged to the family of Hollingworth, until, some centuries since, it was divided into two manors, one of which, with the old Hall or manor-house, continued in the hands of their descendants until the 1800s. Captain Robert de Hollingworth, after his return from India, re-purchased the ancient family estate from the Rev. Daniel Whitle, to whom his grandfather had sold it. He went about the arduous task to restoring the estate to its previous glory. "2

Exploring early rolls, we found Thomas de Holinewurth in the Staffordshire Pipe Rolls of 1211-1215, and Thomas de Holingworth in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1286. 5

Years later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls included: Johannes de Holynworth; and Rogerus Holymworth. 1

East Cheshire records included John de Holynworth, 1325; and John de Holynworth, of Disley, Cheshire, 1438. 1

Early History of the Hollinwithay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hollinwithay research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1607, 1626, 1631, 1632, 1639, 1640, 1654, 1656, 1662, 1684, 1701 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Hollinwithay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hollinwithay Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hollinwithay include Hollingsworth, Hollinsworth, Hollingworth and many more.

Early Notables of the Hollinwithay family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Richard Hollinworth (Hollingworth) (1607-1656), an English clergyman of Presbyterian views, an influential figure in North-West England in the 1640's, educated at the Manchester grammar school and Magdalene College, Cambridge in 1626 and 1631. He was the son of Francis Hollinworth and Margaret...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hollinwithay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hollinwithay family to Ireland

Some of the Hollinwithay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hollinwithay family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hollinwithay or a variant listed above: Henry Hollingsworth settled in Pennsylvania in 1683; John Hollingsworth settled in Virginia in 1638; Richard Hollingsworth settled in Boston in 1635 with his wife and children.



The Hollinwithay 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: Disce ferenda pati
Motto Translation: Learn to endure what must be borne.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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