Woollworth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Woollworth is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The Woollworth family lived in Surrey, at Walworth.

Early Origins of the Woollworth family

The surname Woollworth was first found in Surrey where they were Lords of the manor of Walworth from early times. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book survey in 1086, Walworth was held by Baynard from the Archbishop of Canterbury, and conjecturally the Walworths are descended from this Baynard a Norman noble.

Sir William Walworth (d. 1385) was Lord May of London and "was descended of good family. A William de Walworth, who may have been his father, was the grantee of land in Darlington in 1314. Sir William himself succeeded a member of the ancient family of Bart, Bard, or Baard, in the tenure of a manor which included the parish of Middleton St. George, near Darlington in Durham." [1]

Early History of the Woollworth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Woollworth research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1373, 1380 and 1750 are included under the topic Early Woollworth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woollworth Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Woollworth family name include Wallworth, Wallworthe, Walworth, Walworthe, Woolworth, Woolworthe, Wolworth, Wolworthe, Walwork, Walworke, Wallwork and many more.

Early Notables of the Woollworth family (pre 1700)

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

Migration of the Woollworth family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Woollworth family to immigrate North America: Hugh Walworth, aged 45; who settled in Maryland in 1774; James Walwork settled there in 1755.