Mudewith History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Mudewith is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mudewith family lived in a place named Molesworth in Cambridgeshire or a place named Mouldsworth in Cheshire. The place-name Molesworth is derived from the Old English word Mulesword, which is composed of the elements mul, which means mule, and word, which means enclosure. The place-name Mouldsworth is derived from the Old English words molda, which means the crown of the head or top of the hill, and word, which again means enclosure. 1

Early Origins of the Mudewith family

The surname Mudewith was first found in Huntingdonshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Molesworth in that shire. Conjecturally they are descended from Eustace the Sheriff of Huntingdon who held his lands at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book from Countess Judith, a relation of Duke William of Normandy. "Sir Walter de Molesworth was one of Edward the 1st's Crusaders." 2

Some of the family were found at Tetcott in Devon since early times. "Tetcott House, the beautiful seat of Sir William Molesworth, Bart., was destroyed by fire in May, 1841." 3

In Cornwall, another ancient branch of the family was found. "The manor of St. Kew, which has long been in the Molesworths, is the property of Sir A. O. Molesworth." 4

Early History of the Mudewith family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mudewith research. Another 257 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1124, 1638, 1656, 1680, 1689, 1725, 1730 and 1758 are included under the topic Early Mudewith History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mudewith Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Molesworth, Molesworthy, Mollsworth, Molsworth, Molswurth, Mollswurth, Mollswirth, Moleswirth, Mullsworth, Moldworth, Moldsworth and many more.

Early Notables of the Mudewith family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Hender Molesworth (1638-1689), 1st Baronet Molesworth of Pencarrow, Governor of Jamaica; Robert Molesworth (1656-1725), 1st Viscount Molesworth, British statesman, English and Irish landowner, Ambassador to Denmark, Ambassador to Sweden...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mudewith Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mudewith family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Mudewith or a variant listed above were: Captain Moldsworth who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1766; and members of the family who settled at Spring Garden in Jamaica and became known as Colonial Gentry..

The Mudewith 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: Vincit amor patriae
Motto Translation: My beloved country will conquer.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print