Worde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The surname Worde is thought to be derived from Warden, a parish in the union of Hexham, N. W. division of Tindale ward, in Northumberland. "This place derives its name, originally Wardon, from the remarkable don or hill under which the church and village are beautifully situated on the south-east, and on the rocky summit of which are vestiges of a circular British camp, subsequently occupied by the Romans, who raised additional works. Within the area of this encampment, the bases of buildings and several querns have been found; and not far from the vicarage-house are traces of a similar fort, most probably connected with the wall of Severus, near which the parish is situated. The manor and church, in 1298, belonged to the monks of Hexham, to whom they had been granted, according to the record, "from a time beyond all memory," by Adam de Tyndale." 1

Early written versions of the name tend to spell the name beginning with "Wer-," and as such the name is most likely derived from the Old English "wer," or weir, and "denu," which meant valley.

However, most sources note the occupational nature of the name as in from the Anglo-French word wardein, Old French gardein, guardian. 2 3 4 5

So as to prove this case, the longer form of the occupation as in 'churchwarden,' 'way-warden,' 'Lord-warden of the Cinque Ports,' are still in use. 4

Early Origins of the Worde family

The surname Worde was first found in Hertfordshire where the Saxon, Wluric Uuerdenus held lands before the taking of the Domesday Survey in 1086.

Later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: William de Warden in Oxfordshire; Elyas Wardeden in Berkshire; and Walter Wardein in Oxfordshire. 6

Symon de Waredon was listed at Clerkenwell, Kent in 1232, and Elyas de Wardon was listed there in 1297. 5

Up in Scotland, the name is "more probably from Warden in Northumberland as the surname appears late with us. John Wardein was admitted burgess of Glasgow, 1627, as servitor to the marquis of Hamilton, and David Wardine was admitted burgess and guild brother, 1629." 7

Early History of the Worde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Worde research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1352, 1379, 1476, 1480, 1491, 1500, 1535, 1627, 1685 and 1698 are included under the topic Early Worde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Worde Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Worden, Wordene, Word, Werden, Warden and others.

Early Notables of the Worde family

Distinguished members of the family include

Werric Werden, scion of the family, and Wynkyn de Worde (d. 1535), English printer of over 700 books. "His real name was Jan van Wynkyn ('de Worde' being merely a place name), and in the sacrist's rol...

Worde migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Worde Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Worde, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1642 8

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, 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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)