Ofarth Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Ofarth is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in or near the settlement of Haworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Hayward's Heath in Sussex is another possible origin of the name. The surname Ofarth belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Ofarth Early Origins

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The surname Ofarth was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Haworth, a chapelry, in the parish of Bradford, union of Keighley, wapentake of Morleywhich. Historically part of Lancashire, the village dates back to 1209 when it was originally listed as Hauewrth. Literally the place name means "ecnlosure with a hedge," from the Old English words "haga" + "worth."

Ofarth Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Ofarth has been spelled many different ways, including Haworth, Howarth and others.

Ofarth Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ofarth research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1767 and 1833 are included under the topic Early Ofarth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ofarth Early Notables (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Ofarth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Ofarths to arrive in North America: John Haworth settled in New York in 1820; James, John, and Richard Haworth arrived in Philadelphia between 1820 and 1860; Thomas Howarth settled in Maryland in 1699.

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: Quod ero spero
Motto Translation: I hope that I shall be.

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Citations

^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
^ Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)

Other References

Browning, Charles H. Americans of Royal Descent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Sanders, Joanne McRee Edition. English Settlers in Barbados 1637-1800. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Bolton, Charles Knowles. Bolton's American Armory. Baltimore: Heraldic Book Company, 1964. Print.
Colletta, John P. They Came In Ships. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1993. Print.
Crozier, William Armstrong Edition. Crozier's General Armory A Registry of American Families Entitled to Coat Armor. New York: Fox, Duffield, 1904. Print.
Samuelsen, W. David. New York City Passenger List Manifests Index 1820 - 1824. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1986. Print.
Ingram, Rev. James. Translator Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 1823. Print.
Robb H. Amanda and Andrew Chesler. Encyclopedia of American Family Names. New York: Haper Collins, 1995. Print. (ISBN 0-06-270075-8).
Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 Edited by Samuel Eliot Morrison 2 Volumes. New York: Russell and Russell, 1968. Print.
Egle, William Henry. Pennsylvania Genealogies Scotch-Irish and German. Harrisburg: L.S. Hart, 1886. Print.
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The Ofarth Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Ofarth Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 21 September 2015 at 10:00.