Windos History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Windos

What does the name Windos mean?

The name Windos is an occupational name for a "worker at the winding house’ (for threads, yarn, etc.) from the root word Winder." 1 Other researchers agree. 2 3

Other sources postulate different origins of the name: "the termination us is usually a contraction of house; thus Malthus stands for Malthouse, Woodus for Woodhouse, Loftus for Lofthouse, &c. By analogy, Windus would stand for Windhouse-probably a residence in an exposed situation." 4

Another source claims the name is derived from "Windrush; a location name in Gloucestershire." 5

However, we believe the occupational origin of the name is more accurate as we will explore below.

Early Origins of the Windos family

The surname Windos was first found in Yorkshire where William de Wyndhows was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. A few years later, Thomas Wyndhouse was listed as a Freeman of York in 1431 as was William Wyndowes in 1458. Later, William Wyndes was listed in the same source in 1530. All of the last three entries were weavers. 1

Early History of the Windos family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Windos research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1431, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Windos History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Windos Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Windos family name include Windhouse, Windows, Windus, Winders, Windes, Windos, Windo, Windoes, Wyndows, Wyndowes, Wyndo, Wyndow, Wyndoe, Windros, Windross, Windrows and many more.

Early Notables of the Windos family

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

Migration of the Windos family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Windos surname or a spelling variation of the name include : the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.