Widows History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Widows was originally a baptismal name as in "the son of Wydo" which is English for Guido or Guy 1 or it was an Old English name derived from "widuwe, widewe (widow)" 2

Early Origins of the Widows family

The surname Widows was first found in Norfolk where William filius Wydo was listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. The same roll lists Reginald filius Wydonis in Hunts county. Other early variants of the name include Thomas Wydowe who was listed during the reign of Richard II (1367-1400) and much later Annabella Wydow was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. This latter listing is quite unique as at this time, female entries were very rare. 1

Another source notes Richard Wyduesone listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Bedfordshire in 1309; Peter la Wydewesone in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1326; John la Wydewesone in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327; and William le Wydusone in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1332. 2

Early History of the Widows family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Widows research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1297, 1481, 1502, 1505, 1576, 1588, 1594, 1595, 1603, 1604, 1619, 1645, 1732, 1898 and 1990 are included under the topic Early Widows History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Widows Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Widdow, Wyddow, Wyddowson, Widdowson, Widdas, Widders, Widdis, Widwise, Widdars, Widow, Widows, Widdos, Widdoes and many more.

Early Notables of the Widows family

Distinguished members of the family include David Vernon Widder (1898-1990), an American mathematician.Giles Widdowes (1588?-1645), was an English divine, born about 1588, son of Thomas Widdowes of Mickleton, Gloucestershire and was probably matriculated at Oriel College, Oxford, in 1603-1604. 3Robert Wydow (d. 1505), was an English poet and musician, born at Thaxted, Essex. "His stepfather, a schoolmaster, educated him and sent him to Oxford. He is...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Widows Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Widows migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Widows Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

James Widows, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 4

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)