Show ContentsWhiddington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Whiddington family

The surname Whiddington was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat from very ancient times at Widdrington Castle. "High Trewhitt is 4¼ miles (N. W.) and Low Trewhitt 4½ miles (N. W. by N.) from Rothbury. These places were in the time of James I. possessed by Sir Ephraim Widdrington: the family of Clavering held the former in the reign of Charles I., but forfeited it by their attachment to the Stuarts." 1

As one would expect the eponymous parochial chapelry of Widdrington, again in Northumberland is of special note to the family. "This place was long the seat of the Widdrington family, many of whom at various periods greatly distinguished themselves against the Scots, and on other occasions. Sir William Widdrington, in 1642, was expelled from the house of commons for raising forces in defence of Charles I., by whom, in the following year, he was elevated to the dignity of baron; after the battle of Marston-Moor, he left the kingdom, when his estates were confiscated by the parliament, but returning in the service of Charles II., he was slain at the conflict of Wigan.

William, 4th lord Widdrington, was attainted in 1715, for his share in the rebellion of that year, and his property, to the amount of £100,000, was sold for the public advantage; thus consummating the downfall of a family that had flourished during a space of seven centuries." 1

Witherington is a tything, in the parish of Downton, union of Alderbury, hundred of Downton, Salisbury and Amesbury in Wiltshire.

Early History of the Whiddington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whiddington research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1610, 1640, 1651, 1656, 1660, 1663, 1664, 1665, 1678, 1685, 1688, 1689, 1716, 1718 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Whiddington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whiddington Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Widdrington, Widrington, Witherington and many more.

Early Notables of the Whiddington family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Thomas Preston (1563-1640), a Benedictine monk assumed the name Roger Widdrington while in prison; William Widdrington (1610-1651), 1st Baron Widdrington; and his son, Ralph Widdrington (c. 1640-1718), Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed (1685-1689); Baron William Widdrington (1678-1743), 4th Baron Widdrington of Blankney; Thomas Widdrington (1640-1660), an English politician who sat...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whiddington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whiddington family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Thomas Witherington settled in Jamaica in 1654; Anne Witherington and her husband settled in Barbados in 1668; John Witherington settled in Maryland in 1774.


Contemporary Notables of the name Whiddington (post 1700) +

  • Susan Whiddington, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Democrats Abroad, 1996 2


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, April 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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