WITHAM
Witham is an English surname that originates from the British Isles. The name is used in England, recorded in the English language, and historically associated with Christian worship.
The surname is locational in nature and stems from places bearing the same name in Essex, Devonshire, Lincolnshire and Somerset. In the Domesday Book of 1086 the Somerset settlement appears as Witeham while the Lincolnshire settlement is recorded simply as Witham. The etymology of these place names combines the Old English personal element Wita—derived from wit meaning “mind” or from wiht meaning “bend”—with ham, meaning “homestead” or “enclosure”. By extension the surname Witham means “the homestead or village by the stream or river.”
In the Middle Ages migration for employment was common, and it was typical for individuals to adopt the name of their former village or hamlet. This practice contributed to a wide geographical dispersal of the name. Early recorded occurrences include Peter de Wytham in the Feet of Fines of Essex, 1295, and John Witham in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Essex.
A notable bearer of the surname was Thomas Witham (died 1728). He served as chaplain to King James 11 and was superior of St. Gregory’s Seminary in Paris between 1699 and 1717.
The heraldic badge most commonly associated with the family is a black shield featuring a gold fess positioned between three gold cinquefoils. The first recorded spelling of the family name, Warin de Wyhteham, appears in the Feet of Fines of Essex dated circa 1272, during the reign of King Edward I, known as “The Hammer of the Scots” (1272‑1307).
Typical given names associated with the Witham surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Robert
- Simon
- Stephen
Female
- Andrea
- Claire
- Diana
- Emma
- Julie
- Linda
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sally
- 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 Witham in...
Braille
⠺⠊⠞⠓⠁⠍
Morse
.--..-.....---
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,949 people named Witham in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,297th most common surname in Britain. Around 30 in a million people in Britain are named Witham.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Witham
- George Witham - Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District; Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District (1655 to 1725)
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.