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Winchester History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Winchester History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Winchester

What does the name Winchester mean?

The ancestry of the name Winchester dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the city of Winchester in Hampshire. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word ventaceaster, meaning the dweller at the Roman fort. 1

"This place, called by the ancient Britons Caer Gwent, from the whiteness of its chalky soil, was the Venta Belgarum of Ptolemy and Antoninus; and on its subsequent occupation by the Saxons, obtained the appellation of Wintan-Ceaster, from which its present name is derived. It was probably first inhabited by the Celtic Britons, who emigrated from the coasts of Armorica, in Gaul, and came to this part of the island, finding well-watered valleys, fertile plains, and shady forests, adapted to their support, and suited to the exercise of their religious rites." 2

Early Origins of the Winchester family

The surname Winchester was first found in Hampshire where Odo de Wincestre was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. 3 Later, William de Wyncestre was recorded in Yorkshire in 1286 and John Wynchestre in Gloucestershire in 1360. 4

From the original city in Hampshire, Scotland proved to be an attractive place to move during the turbulent times. "Thomas de Wincestre of the county of Arne rendered homage in 1296 [to King Edward I of England.] Another Thomas de Wynchester rendered homage in the same year. Johan de Wincestre and Henry de Wincestre, both of the county of Lanark, also rendered homage. Jchn Wincestir was chancellor of Dunkeld in 1426, Magister Henricus Wynsister held a tenement in Glasgow in 1498, and John Wynsister was witness to a deed of 1495, William Winchestre was vicar of Grantuly in 1505, Jaspar Win-chister was a tenant of the bishop of Moray in 1565." 5

Early History of the Winchester family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Winchester research. Another 256 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1424, 1428, 1435, 1460, 1471, 1495, 1567, 1569, 1574, 1579, 1591, 1592, 1628, 1643, 1686, 1694, 1724, 1803, 1804 and 1826 are included under the topic Early Winchester History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Winchester Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Winchester have been found, including Winchester, Wincester and others.

Early Notables of the Winchester family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

John of Winchester (d. 1460?), Bishop of Moray, who is said to have been an Englishman who ventured into Scotland in the retinue of James I on his return from England in 1424...
From the beginning of James's actual reign Winchester appears as his trusted friend, and is constantly in attendance at court...

Winchester Ranking

In the United States, the name Winchester is the 3,695^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Winchester family to Ireland

Some of the Winchester family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Winchester migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Winchester, or a variant listed above:

Winchester Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jo Winchester, aged 19, who arrived in New England in 1635 7
John Winchester, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635 7
Alexander Winchester, who arrived in Braintree, Massachusetts in 1636 7
John Winchester, who settled in Virginia in 1636
Richard Winchester, who arrived in New England in 1638 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Winchester Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Arthur Winchester, who landed in Virginia in 1719 7
William Winchester, who arrived in Maryland in 1732
William Winchester Sr. aged 79, who arrived in Maryland in 1790

Winchester Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Winchester, who arrived in Baltimore Maryland in 1822

Winchester migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Winchester Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Charles Valentine Winchester, aged 39, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Trafalgar" 8
Charles Winchester, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1849 8
Herbert Winchester, aged 15, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Punjab"
Eliza Winchester, aged 19, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Punjab"
Jane Winchester, aged 14, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Punjab"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Winchester migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Winchester Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Henry Petty Winchester, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Mr. William Thomas Winchester, (b. 1826), aged 32, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Palmyra" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 19th February 1858 9
Mrs. Eliza Winchester, British settler travelling from London with 3 children aboard the ship "Palmyra" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 19th February 1858 9
Mr. Thomas Winchester, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Flying Mist" arriving in Bluff, South Island, New Zealand on 25th August 1862, the boat sank whilst waiting in port. 10
James Winchester, aged 36, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Winchester (post 1700) +

Susan Winchester, American Republican politician, Member of Oklahoma State House of Representatives 47th District; Elected 2002 11
Sheldon G. Winchester, American politician, Delegate to Iowa State Constitutional Convention 33rd District, 1857 11
Samuel G. Winchester, American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Burlington; Elected 1896 11
Marcus C. Winchester, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 20th District, 1863-65 11
Marcus Brutus Winchester (1796-1856), American politician, Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, 1827-29; Member of Tennessee State House of Representatives, 1851 11
L. W. Winchester, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Gold Democrat National Convention from Illinois, 1896 11
Henry M. Winchester, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Delaware at-large, 1950 11
Frank K. Winchester, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Mississippi, 1892 11
Charles M. Winchester, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 28th District, 1922 11
Charles A. Winchester, American Republican politician, Mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts, 1868-69 11
... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Winchester family +

HMS Cornwall

Kenneth Alderton Winchester (d. 1942), British Musician aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 12

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. William Winchester, British Warrant Mechanician, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 13

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The TRAFALGAR 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Trafalgar.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html