Surname Wortham - Meaning and Origin

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F. Wortham

Wortham: What does the surname Wortham mean?

The surname Wortham is a habitational name, derived from a place called Wortham in Suffolk, England. Records of the name date back to the 12th century. The place-name itself is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from Old English ‘wormedam’, meaning ‘enclosure for the snakes’.

The word is a combination of two Old English elements – ‘wyrm’ meaning ‘snake’ and ‘dam’ which is derived from the word ‘damm’, meaning ‘enclosure’. This is further evidenced in the recorded spelling variations of the place-name, such as Wurmeden in 1204 and Wormedena in 1222 and it is believed to pre-date the first recorded use of the surname, as early as 1163.

During the Middle Ages, as surnames began to be adopted, they were often derived from place-names to indicate a person's geographical origin. In the case of the Wortham surname, it was associated with a place of origin and was used to indicate an individual's family or clan affiliation. It was also used as an identifier to distinguish people living in the same area.

The Wortham surname was later spread to other countries, other than England, particularly to the United States, during the great migration of people in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is likely that the surname was adopted by people who chose to disperse and create a new life elsewhere.

The Wortham surname is widely spread throughout the world today, and it has come to signify a person's origin, and their ancestry.

Wortham: Where does the name Wortham come from?

The last name Wortham is commonly found in the United States today. In fact, according to the 2019 United States Census, it was the 4,731st most common name. It was especially prominent in the states of Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee, where it was in the top 1,000 most common last names. Additionally, Wortham is a relatively common name in England and Wales, ranking at number 2,511th in the 2019 Census of those countries.

In the United States, Worthams tend to be concentrated in the Midwest, Southeast, and Southwest. The Midwest is home to the highest concentration of Wortham families, which are concentrated in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. In the Southeast, the wealthiest states – like North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia – have the most Worthams. Meanwhile, in the Southwest, Worthams are found in the states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Historically, the Wortham surname originated in the southern counties of England, with the first known recorded usage dating back to the 12th century. In the 13th century, a Hugh de Wortham was granted a manor in Sussex, England. By the 15th century, the Wortham family had spread across England and into the United States. The earliest known American Wortham was William Wortham, a planter who settled in Virginia in 1664.

Variations of the surname Wortham

The Wortham surname is of English origin and is believed to be a topographical name for someone who lived near a homestead or enclosure. It may have originally derived from the Old English words ‘worth’, meaning enclosure, and ‘ham’, meaning homestead or settlement.

The spelling of the surname Wortham can vary and can be seen as Worthingham, Worthham, Worthenham and Warthingham.

The variants of the name can also have various nicknames such as Worthing, Worth, Worming and Worthy.

There are also several derived surnames that may have based on the name Wortham. These include Worthing, Worthen, Worthington, Worthymin and Worthington-Wortham.

The Wortham surname may also be a habitational name which originates from a place called Wortham, which is located in Norfolk, England. It is also the name of several other places throughout the world.

In genealogy, there may be links to other spellings or surname variants of the Wortham name such as Warthingham, Worthingham, Worthenham, or Wortham.

Therefore, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Wortham are Worthingham, Worthham, Worthenham, Warthingham, Worthing, Worth, Worming, Worthy, Worthing, Worthen, Worthington, Worthymin, Worthington-Wortham, Warthingham, Worthingham, Worthenham, or Wortham.

Famous people with the name Wortham

• Caleb Wortham: Former professional basketball player in the NBA G League who also played in the US and South American leagues.
• Austin Wortham: Contemporary Christian musician who has released several albums and whose music has been featured in the hit TV shows, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.
• Ronda Wortham: A scientist at the University of Kentucky, she specializes in Neurological Sciences and her research focuses on cognitive processing, clinical science, and aging.
• Stephanie Wortham: A social media influencer, she promotes a healthy lifestyle and provides motivational life/lifestyle advice on her YouTube channel.
• Sara Wortham: An artist and entrepreneur, she is best known for her vibrant and unique ‘paint-and-sip’ style workshops, where participants can channel their creativity and beautiful work.
• Gloria Wortham: As the Vice President of Business Development for Fortune 500 company Altria, her achievements have been recognized in 2020's Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America.
• Adama Wortham: An award-winning international writer from Ghana, he was the joint-winner of the Penguin/Random House Africa39 Prize for his debut novel, The Library of the Dead.
• Rileigh Wortham: A professional dancer and athlete, she has danced in music videos and toured with popular artists like Justin Bieber and Kelly Clarkson, and made her breakout performance on season 15 of So You Think You Can Dance.
• Carmen Wortham: A classical singer who has graced the stages of Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the LA Philharmonic and the Paris Opera.
• Cathy Wortham: A prolific public speaker, she has given insightful talks on navigating our education and career paths at major conferences, such as TEDx and the Harvard Innovation Lab.

Other surnames

WorthWörthWorthanWorthemWorthenWörtherWortheyWorthinWorthingWorthingtonWorthleyWörthmannWorthmeierWörthmüllerWörthnerWorthy