WHARTON
Wharton
Wharton is a surname of Old English origin that originates from various places in England, such as Wharton in Cumbria and Hutton Magna in County Durham. The name is derived from the Old English words hwæt meaning "wheat" and tun meaning "enclosure" or "settlement", indicating a person who either lived by a wheat farm or hailed from one of these locations.
Notable Bearers
- Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton (1698–1731): A colourful figure in British history, known for his involvement in politics and the Jacobite cause.
- Edith Wharton (1862–1937): An American novelist and short story writer, though not British, is a renowned author known for her works on American society and the Gilded Age.
Distribution
The surname Wharton remains most common in northern England, particularly in the historic counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cumberland. Over the centuries, the name has spread to other English-speaking countries, most notably the United States and Australia.
Coat of Arms
The Wharton family coat of arms typically features a design of a gold shield with three black bars, accompanied by various heraldic symbols such as stars, lions, or boars.
Variants
Variants of the surname Wharton include Warton, Wharten, and Wharton. These variations may have arisen due to regional accents or early clerical errors when recording names.
Overall, the surname Wharton carries with it a rich history and has remained a prominent family name in England and beyond.
There are approximately 8,943 people named Wharton in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,061st most common surname in Britain. Around 137 in a million people in Britain are named Wharton.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Typical given names associated with the surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Alison
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Fiona
- Helen
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria