Surname Washham - Meaning and Origin
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Washham: What does the surname Washham mean?
The last name Washham is of English origin, and is derived from the Old English personal name 'Wæs(ċ)a', meaning 'a watchman', a guard or guardian of livestock. The name could also have referred to someone who lived "in or near a wood". Washham is a habitational name derived from Weshin, meaning 'place of the watchman', which was a hamlet in the parish of Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Washham is a topographical and occupational surname used to designate a person employed as a watcher or guard of livestock. The surname can also be found spelled as Washer, Waschar and Wosher. People with the Washham surname were likely sheep shearers or simply went by the surname due to an ancestor who was a guard or archer.
The name Washham is found throughout Europe, with the highest concentration in the southeastern part of England. The frequency of the surname in English records began to increase in the mid-13th century, coinciding with the rise of hereditary surnames in England.
Today, Washham is a fairly uncommon surname but can be found in countries such as Germany, The Netherlands, Canada and the United States, among others. Despite its rare occurrence, the Washham surname is a meaningful one, having its origin in the Old English personal name of 'Wæs(ċ)a', suggesting someone of humble but important origin.
Order DNA origin analysisWashham: Where does the name Washham come from?
The Washham surname can be found mainly in the United Kingdom and Canada today. In the United Kingdom, there is a noticeably large number of Washhams located in the county of Rutland, as well as in Essex, London, Derbyshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. In the United States there is a limited amount of Washhams, although there are records of the surname being used by a few families dating back to the 17th century.
In Canada, Washhams can be found mostly concentrated in of Ontario and Alberta. There are also a few records of the surname being used in Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and British Columbia. There is a noteworthy amount of Washhams in Ontario, particularly in Essex, Kent, York, and Halton, as well as in the cities of Toronto and Windsor.
The Washham surname is sometimes spelled Washam, Wescott, and Wosham. In accordance with World Name Profiler, there are approximately 1.3 thousand persons who currently bear the Washham surname. The surname continues to exist in the 21st century, generally in Britain and parts of Canada.
Variations of the surname Washham
The surname Washham is a common name of Anglo-Saxon origin. It has several variant spellings and related surnames, including Wassum, Wasson, Washingham, Washingam, Washam, Wasson, and Wosham.
Variant spellings originated from a wide range of sources, including changes of spelling as people migrated between countries, and differences in the way that names were spelled by clerks, scribes, or church-recorders. Variants can also result simply from spelling mistakes or misunderstanding of verbal instruction.
The surname Washham is Anglo-Saxon in origin. The name is derived from Old English ‘wassa’, which is a topographic name for someone who lived by a stream, or a habitational name from a place name deriving from this word. The word is derived from the Old English ‘was’, which means ‘water’, and ‘ham’which means ‘a settlement or meadow’.
Another variant of the surname is Wosham, which is an alternative spelling of Washam and Wasson. The surname is likely derived from a location in St.Martins-In-The-Fields, London. Wosham was first recorded in 1179 and is an old Saxon word meaning ‘a stream or streamlet’.
The surname Washingham is a variant of Washam. It is derived from the old English 'Wassa', meaning ‘a stream’ or 'Ghyll’, meaning ‘a ravine or gully’. It is believed that the surname originated in the village of Washingham, also known as Washingham Magna, which is located in the county of Norfolk in England.
Wassum is a variant of the surname Washam. It is derived from the old English 'wassa', meaning ‘stream’, and 'ham', meaning 'hemmed area'. It is believed that this variant was derived from the place name Wassum, which is located in the district of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
The surnames Washam, Washingam, Wasson, Wosham, Washingham, Wassum, and Wosham all originated from the old Anglo-Saxon word ‘wassa’, meaning a ‘stream’, or ‘ham’, meaning a ‘settlement or meadow’. The different spellings, however, likely derived from changes of spelling as people migrated between countries, or differences in the way that names were spelled by clerks, scribes, or church-recorders.
Famous people with the name Washham
- Amanda Washam: An American professional road cyclist
- Bernie Washam: Country singer-songwriter from Mississippi
- Cheryl Washam: Founding member of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
- Clarence Washam: American professional baseball player in the 19th century
- Dave Washam: Retired professional soccer player
- Emery Washam: American Major League Baseball pitcher in the early 1900s
- Jim Washam: Retired American soccer player
- Jonathan Washam: Professional golfer
- Larry Washam: Retired American MLB relief pitcher
- Rebecca Washam: Actress in various films and TV series
- Richard Washam: Priest in the Episcopal Church
- Robert Washam: Former football linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams
- Samuel Washam: Civil War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient
- Tex Washam: Baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles in the 1950s
- Trey Washam: Gymnast who helped to found EXL Gymnastics Academy