Woosnam

A dialectually transposed alternative spelling of Wolstenholme and derives from the Village of the same name near Rochdale in Lancashire. There are at least ten different modern spellings including Woosnam, Woosman, Wostenholm, Wasteman etc. but all have the same origin and meaning. The origin is Viking pre 8th Century and translates as the home of 'Wulf-Stan' with Wulf-Stan being an early personal name of great popularity. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Andrew de Wolstanesholm which was dated 1286, The Chartes of Whalley Abbey during the reign of King Edward 1, The Hammer of the Scots 1272 - 1307 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.