The name Winnwright finds its origins with the ancient
Anglo-Saxons of
England. It was given to one who worked as a wainwright or wagon builder. The surname Winnwright is derived from the Old English word
wægnwyrhta, which means
wainwright. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X) "Wain is an old, but nearly obsolete, word for wagon. In
Sussex, a shed in which wagons stand is called a wain-house or ' wen-hus,' and in some parts of
England a wagoner is called a wain-man, whence the surname Wenman. Nor must we forget the constellation, Charles's Wain. A Wainwright was therefore synonymous with Cartwright and Wheelwright, also English surnames, and signified a builder of wagons."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Early Origins of the Winnwright family
The surname Winnwright was first found in
Worcestershire where they were Lords of the manor of Dudelei from very ancient times, and it is possible that they are interrelated with the Norman
Baron William FitzAnsculf whose castle was in Dudley. One of the earliest records of the name was Alimar Wanwrecthe who was listed in
Essex in 1237. Adam the Waynwrith was listed in
Yorkshire in 1285 and Alan le Waynwright was listed in the
Subsidy Rolls of
Lancashire in 1285.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Early History of the Winnwright family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Winnwright research.
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1568, 1577, 1678 and 1592 are included under the topic Early Winnwright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Winnwright 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. Winnwright has been recorded under many different variations, including Wainwright, Waynewright, Wainright, Wayn and others.
Early Notables of the Winnwright family (pre 1700)
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Winnwright Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Winnwright family to the New World and Oceana
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded
England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Winnwright or a variant listed above: Hester Wainewright who settled in Barbados in 1682; William Wainright settled in Barbados in 1654; John Wainright settled in Pennsylvania in 1773; Mary and John Wainwright settled in New York N.Y. in 1821.
Winnwright Family Crest Products
See Also
Citations
- ^ Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- ^ Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)