OPENSHAW
Openshaw is an English surname, specifically of Lancashire origin, classifying as a locational name derived from a place that once existed within the British Isles. The name itself is intimately linked to the city of Manchester, where the original village of Openshaw has become a contemporary district, yet maintaining its historical significance as the place of origin for those who adopted it as a surname.
The etymological roots of Openshaw combine two Old English words: open, meaning “open” or “clear,” and sceaga, meaning “wood” or “copse.” Consequently, the surname refers to a person dwelling near an open expanse adjacent to woodland, or a clearing within a forest. This semantic construction suggests that the original bearer lived in or owned land characterised by clear spaces within the surrounding natural environment.
Recorded spellings of the name reflect its historical orthographic variations. Known forms include Opensaw, Opensha, Openshae, Openshaw, and Oppenshaw. The earliest surviving instance appears in the Calendar of Inquisitiones Post Mortem for the county of Lancashire, where the name is written as Opinschawe in 1282. Subsequent early records document individuals in other regions: Robert Opinshawe of Suffolk mentioned in the Register of Oxford University in 1575; Lambert Openshaw of Aynsworth recorded in the Wills Register of Chester in 1607; and John Openshawe noted in the church register of St. James Clerkenwell in London in 1611.
Further documentation in the mid‑sixteenth century, particularly a 1558 entry in the Calendar of Pleadings—a period coinciding with the reign of Queen Mary I, commonly referred to as “Bloody Mary” (1554–1558)—contributes another early attestant, Samuel Openshawe. These archival references demonstrate the surname’s early dispersion from its original locality, coinciding with the broader medieval pattern of migration for employment, during which individuals often carried their village names into new communities as an identifier.
Typical given names associated with the Openshaw surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Jonathan
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
Female
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Jean
- Jennifer
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Pamela
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Openshaw in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 2,028 people named Openshaw in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,169th most common surname in Britain. Around 31 in a million people in Britain are named Openshaw.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Openshaw
- Stan Openshaw - Geographer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.