Show ContentsPloughwright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Ploughwright Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Ploughwright

What does the name Ploughwright mean?

The name Ploughwright finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxons of England. It was given to one who worked as a person who worked as the ploughwright, a person who built ploughs. 1 2 3 Occupational names frequently were derived from the principal object associated with the activity of the original bearer, such as tools or products. These types of occupational surnames are called metonymic surnames.

Early Origins of the Ploughwright family

The surname Ploughwright was first found in Cambridgeshire, where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 record William le Plowritte as holding lands there at that time. Later at Wakefield in Yorkshire, Robert le Plogwryth was listed in 1285 and Baldwyn le Ploghwright was found in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1297. 4 The Writs of Parliament list William le Ploughwryte in 1307. Testamenta Eboracensia (Surtees Society) lists Catherine Ploughwright, Yorkshire, but no date was given. 1

In Scotland, the name had a similar occupational meaning, but "plowwryte is defined 'carrucarius.' c. 1440. William Plewryght is recorded in Thornescheillis in 1649 (Pont). George Plowright, indweller in Cunyngham Baidland in 1662 is probably George Plewright, witness at Ayr in the same year." 5

Early History of the Ploughwright family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ploughwright research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1649, 1662 and 1778 are included under the topic Early Ploughwright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ploughwright Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Ploughwright has been recorded under many different variations, including Ploughright, Plowright, Plowrite, Ploughrite, Ploughwright and many more.

Early Notables of the Ploughwright family

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

Ploughwright migration to Australia +

Ploughwright Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Ploughwright, English convict who was convicted in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 27th May 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6

Ploughwright migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 7
Ploughwright Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Ploughwright, who sailed to Barbados in 1664
  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. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies

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