The name Macworth was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Macworth family lived in Mackworth, a town in Derbyshire. The place name was rendered Macheuorde in the Domesday Book, a census taken by William the Conqueror twenty years after his conquest of England to determine the extent and value of his holdings for taxation purposes in 1086. It is a compound of the Old English personal name Macca and the suffix worth, which meant enclosure, or farm. Therefore the place name translates as "Macca's farm." It is from this name that the family name is derived.
Loading...
Early Origins of the Macworth family
The surname Macworth was first found in Derbyshire where this Gaelic sounding name held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Mackworth at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 A.D. In 1086 the manor was held by Earl Hugh of Mackworth and there is still evidence of the ruined castle.
Early History of the Macworth family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Macworth research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1619 and 1803 are included under the topic Early Macworth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Macworth Spelling Variations
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled McWorth, MacWorth, Mackworth, Worth, Macwirth, McWirth, MacWirth, MacWurth, McWurth, McWyrth and many more.
Early Notables of the Macworth family
More information is included under the topic Early Macworth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Macworth family to Ireland
Some of the Macworth family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Migration of the Macworth family
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Macworth or a variant listed above: Adolph Mackwirth settled in Pennsylvania in 1842; Arthur Mackworth arrived in Portland Maine in 1630.
