Surname Dewhurst - Meaning and Origin
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Dewhurst: What does the surname Dewhurst mean?
The last name Dewhurst is of English origin. It is a toponymic or locational surname, derived from a place name of where its early bearers once lived or held land. In this case, the established source of the surname Dewhurst is a village in the county of Lancashire. The earliest record of the Dewhurst family is dated to 1327 in Lancashire, with Robert de Dewhirst listed as holding land in that county. The name Dewhurst is derived from the Old English words dēaw, meaning dew, and hyrst, meaning wooded hill. It is thought that used together the words were intended to describe a settlement where the ground was particularly wet and where there were many trees. Today, individuals with the surname Dewhurst are found mainly in Lancashire and various counties in the Midlands. They are also spread across England, Wales and Scotland. Given the popularity of the name Dewhurst within these countries, its possible that the name has also spread to other parts of the world with English-speaking communities. All in all, the name Dewhurst is associated with a toponymic origin, a wet and wooded hill, and its place of origin from Lancashire.
Order DNA origin analysisDewhurst: Where does the name Dewhurst come from?
The last name Dewhurst is likely most commonly associated with the United Kingdom, as it is an English surname. Today, if you search the Internet for records of the Dewhurst surname, you will find the most listings centered around the UK and many of its former colonies.
In terms of the exact reasons behind the commonality of the Dewhurst surname in the UK, these explanations likely come from genealogy tracking and immigration trends. It is believed that the surname was introduced to England with the Norman Invasion of 1066, which brought with it many French surnames like Dewhurst. From there, it is believed that the surname evolved and spread across the country in a variety of ways, whether through occupation or migration.
Today, the Dewhurst surname can still be found throughout the UK. Common locations are parts of Lancashire, Suffolk, London, and East Midlands. For those interested in genealogy research, the Dewhurst surname can be traced through multiple records, including birth, marriage, and death records, census records, directories, wills and probate records, maps, books, and old newspapers. All of these help family historians piece together how and where the Dewhurst surname is most commonly found today.
Variations of the surname Dewhurst
The surname Dewhurst can refer to a variety of spellings and derivatives, all of which stem from the same origin.
The most common variant of Dewhurst is DeWhurst, which has two potted spelling variations: DeWhursts and DeWhorst. Another version is Dewhirst with two alternative options Dewhirsts and Dewhorst. Other spellings that are often seen in archives include Dewshert and Dewsherts.
For locations such as America, Dewhirst is more common than Dewhurse. In other countries around the world or in Australia, the original spelling of Dewhurst can be found in some families.
As far as surnames with the same origin as Dewhurst go, apart from the alternate spellings, there are some variations such as DeWhurst, Dewhurst, Dewhirst, and Dewshert. There are also other surnames with similar origins, such as Dewar, Dewey, Dewing, Dewson, and Dewson. All these variations ultimately stem from the same root source. The meaning is “from a homestead near a spring or stream”.
In summary, Dewhurst is a surname with many variants, spellings, and derivatives, all deriving from the same origin. These variations include DeWhursts, DeWhorsts, Dewhirsts, Dewhorst, Dewshert, and Dewsherts. Other surnames with similar origins include Dewar, Dewey, Dewing, Dewson, and Dewson. All these variations have the same origin of meaning of “from a homestead near a spring or stream”.
Famous people with the name Dewhurst
- David Dewhurst: a Republican politician and former Lieutenant Governor of Texas
- Angela Dewhurst: an English actress
- Tom Dewhurst: a former professional football player
- James Dewhurst: a British actor
- Andrew Dewhurst: an Australian Paralympic cyclist
- Dick Dewhurst: a former American football lineman
- Richard Dewhurst: an English filmmaker
- Isaac Dewhurst: a British sculptor
- Peter Dewhurst: an English musician
- Charles R. Dewhurst: a Canadian actor