Surname Worthey - Meaning and Origin
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Worthey: What does the surname Worthey mean?
The surname Worthey is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is a locational name deriving from Worthing, a seafaring town in the English county of West Sussex. Worthing is an ancient settlement, mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Worthenge", a reference to a meadow or field of wort or vegetable matter.
The Worthey surname is likely to have originated from Worthing and either been adopted by an ancestral family who moved from Worthing to another location, or given as a nickname to someone in remembrance of the place they originated from. It was used as both a first and a surnamename and was primarily found in England and Scotland.
The surname Worthey is derived from Old English, which is why it sounds so similar to the place name Worthing. It also often appeared as Worthay, Worthy, Woothey, Worthy and Wirthey.
The Worthey family had many different branches in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Scotland, with some branches migrating to the United States later on. Generally, the Worthey surname was associated with farming, and many of the bearers of the name were rural labourers, farmers, or landholders.
Today, Worthey is a less commonly used surname, and those bearing the name often have their roots in Scotland or the English south-west region.
Order DNA origin analysisWorthey: Where does the name Worthey come from?
The last name Worthey is commonly found throughout the United States, especially in the southern regions. The name is most prevalent in Texas and can be found in cities such as Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. According to Forebears, an international genealogy site, the last name is also present in several other countries, including Australia, Canada, and England.
In Texas, records show the name Worthey began appearing as early as the 18th century, when early families moved down from the Mid-Atlantic and the Carolina states around the mid-1800s. Many of the Wortheys in Texas are descended from those families, as well as those who traveled from other countries, such as Germany, during the early 1900s.
Due to its prominent presence in the United States, the surname Worthey can be found in many public records. For example, many Wortheys are listed in online databases such as the Social Security Death Index, the Ancestry and FamilySearch counted population records, and the US Census.
Overall, the last name Worthey remains quite prevalent throughout the United States and other countries. Whether someone has a traceable ancestral connection to a Worthey, or whether their name is simply a variation on the spelling, these people remain connected by their shared surname.
Variations of the surname Worthey
The surname Worthey is derived from Old English, and is a toponymic name meaning "lives near the enclosure." Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Worthey include Worthy, Worthey, Worthing, Worthy, Worthay, Worthe, Worthen, and Warthen. Variants include Wortha, Worth, Worda, Worthyen, Worthye, Worthinge, Worthyon, and Worden. Spellings include Wurthey, Worrhey, Wourthe, Wothay, Wortheea, Woorthy, Worthingy, Worthy, and Worthye.
Other surnames of the same origin are Word, Wornden, and Workman. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Word include Ward, Worden, Woodward, Wrd, and Wordy. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Wornden include Worndon, Wornden, Worndean, and Worndin. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Workman are Work, Workmann, Work, Workmane, Workmant, and Workman.
All of these surnames derive from the same root and refer to someone who either lived near an enclosure or was likely a worker on such an enclosure. Worthy specifically means "respectable," which is an apt description for many of the individuals with the surname. All of these surnames are linked, and tracing their tradition can provide an interesting view into one's family and heritage.
Famous people with the name Worthey
- Jessica Worthey: American Disney Channel actress
- Joshua Worthey: United States District Court Chief Judge
- Kenilworth Worthey: Major in the United States Army
- Michael Worthey: Organizational Development Consultant
- Molly Worthey: Former president and CEO of the YWCA of Greater Portland
- Triston Worthey: Fictional Character in the TV mini-series “Highway to Heaven”
- Ware Worthey: Retired broadcast engineer and television producer
- Another Worthey: American artist, photographer, synthetic biologist, and director
- Walter Worthey: American professional golfer
- William Worthey: Lawyer and former chair of the United Way of Acadiana