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Meaning "Son of Withar (Víðarr)", for proper earlier form Related names | ||
Withers — earlier Wither, Wyther — is an English surname of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is today a not uncommon family name throughout the English-speaking world.
Contents
History
The family name appears on various early documents such as in a charter of Æthelred II, dated 1005 A.D. where one of the witnesses signs his name as "Ego Wiþer minister" (a thorn used in the stead of the digraph "th"). In the Domesday Book of 1089 the name is shown as a tenant prior to that date. In the 11th century, the name showed no prefix, suggesting that it was not derived from a place, as were many names at that time. Rather, the name seems to be personal. The meaning of the name is uncertain. Various authorities have proposed wider (Old English, "wood"), or words meaning "to withstand", "warrior" or "willow tree".
Records of the 11th century indicate the holding of land in many counties of England by persons named Wyther. A continuous record of a Wyther family does not appear until the time of Henry II (reigned 1154-89). This was a Wyther family of County Lancaster (now Lancashire) including Sir Robert Wyther, Knight, of Pendleton Hall, Lancashire, and of Halton, Cheshire, Seneschal to Roger de Lucy, Constable of Chester (1179–89). He married Joan, daughter of Sir Adam de Bostock, Knight, of Davenham, County Chester (now Cheshire).
By the 15th century, Wyther families descended from Sir Robert Wyther were living in Cheshire, Lancaster, Wiltshire, Essex, London, Somersetshire, and Hampshire Counties. (For the Hampshire County branch, see Berry's Hampshire County Genealogy.)
The Withers of Hampshire, deriving from a member who migrated from Lancashire in the 14th century, were particularly prominent. From 1484, they were lords of the manor at Manydown (or Manydown Park) near Wootton St Lawrence. Their fortunes were tied to that estate for more than 400 years.
Coat of arms
A Withers family coat of arms was granted in the reign of Queen Mary I (1553–1558 C.E.) to Sir Richard Withers of East Sheen (ancestor of the poet George Wither) and registered in the College of Arms, London. The blazon has “Argent, a chevron gules between three crescents sable” (i.e., White/silver field, red chevron between 3 black crescents). The traditional family motto is "I grow and wither both together".