Witten

This interesting surname of English origin is a locational name from any of the places so called. Wittonin Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Cheshire, derive from the old English pre 7th Century "wic" meaning "village, hamlet" plus "tun" a farm. Witton in Northumberland, Norfolk and the North Riding of Yorkshire derive from the old English "wudu" meaning "wood" plus "tun" hence "tun by a wood". Witton in Durham and Lancashire derive from the Old English personal name "Witta" plus "tun". The surname dates back to the late 14th Century, (see below). Church recordings include Anne Wytton who was christened on December 5th 1546 at St. Mary, Woolnoth, London, Margaret Witten who married Richard Herryman on October 30th 1682 at St. Katherine by the Tower, London and Sarah, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Witten was christened on May 4th 1712 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster. A Coat of Arms was granted to a Witton family during the reign of King Henry 1V (1461 1483) which consists of a black chevron with five plates on a gold shield. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Johannes de Wytton, which was dated 1379, "The Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire", during the reign of King Richard 11, "Richard of Bordeaux", 1377 - 1399 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.