Wighton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Wighton

What does the name Wighton mean?

The name Wighton is "clearly a nickname, perhaps one with a splendid trumpet or drinking-horn (from the Old English word hwit, meaning ‘white, fair, splendid’ and horn) 1

Early Origins of the Wighton family

The surname Wighton was first found in Suffolk where Martin Withorn held estates in 1275. Later, Thomas Whithorn was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. 1

Early History of the Wighton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wighton research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1541, 1543, 1559, 1563, 1565, 1571, 1577 and 1590 are included under the topic Early Wighton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wighton Spelling Variations

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 Wighton has appeared include Whitehorn, Withorn, Witehorne, Whithorn, Whithorne, Withorne, Whythorne and many more.

Early Notables of the Wighton family

George Whitehorne (died 1565) English cleric, Minor Canon and Priest-Vicar of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle 1541 to 1565 and Canon of Windsor from 1559 to 1565. Peter Whitehorne or Whithorne (fl. 1543-1563), was an English military writer, described on the title-pages of his books, first as student and then as 'fellow' of Gray's Inn. However, "his name does not occur...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wighton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wighton migration to the United States +

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 Wighton arrived in North America very early:

Wighton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Wighton, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1840 2

Wighton migration to Australia +

Wighton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Jacobina Wighton, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth and Henry" on 14th September 1846, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Wighton (post 1700) +

Jack Wighton (b. 1993), Australian rugby league player for the Canberra Raiders in the NRL
Lorna Wighton (b. 1958), Canadian ice dancer at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Christopher Wighton Moncrieff CBE (1931-2019), British journalist and political editor of the Press Association from 1980 to 1994

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth-and-henry