The name Owarthe first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their 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 Owarthe belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
The surname Owarthe was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Haworth, a chapelry, in the parish of Bradford, union of Keighley, wapentake of Morleywhich. [1] 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." [2]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Owarthe research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1767 and 1833 are included under the topic Early Owarthe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Owarthe has appeared include Haworth, Howarth and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Owarthe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Owarthe arrived in North America very early: 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.