Surname Work - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Work: What does the surname Work mean?
The last name Work is thought to typically be of English or Scottish origin. It can be derived from either the Old English word worca, meaning "thrower", or the Old English word weorc, meaning "work". Both of these words have a long history in the English language, on various terms including labor, effort, and industry.
The surname Work originally applied to someone who worked as a laborer, farmer, or tradesman. It may have been used to help distinguish between the workers and the wealthy. Throughout history, a name has often been a way to designate an individual's social status. In this case, someone with the surname Work was seen as a member of the middle or working class.
Some families with the name Work may have come from the area of Scotland known as Worck, which was situated near the border of England. Even though the spelling is slightly different, the two could possibly be linked.
Throughout the generations, the surname Work may have taken upon different variations, such as Workman, Worker, Worken, Wurk, and Wurkman. Despite the number of variations, those of the Work family can be proud to carry such a symbolic name that has lasted so many centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisWork: Where does the name Work come from?
The surname Work is a relatively common last name in North America, especially in the United States. It is a top 1,000 last name in the U.S., according to the U.S. census data. The name is most common among White Americans, with about 1 in 6,000 Americans having the name Work.
The Work surname is believed to be Anglo-Saxon in origin and is derived from the Old English word "weorc" which means to build or craft. The surname originally was a status name for an architect or worker of wood and stone, and became established as a hereditary surname in England during the Middle Ages.
The Work surname is particularly well-represented in the southern United States, especially the Appalachia region. It is also highly concentrated in areas such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and certain parts of the Midwest. The Work surname is also found throughout Canada.
Outside of North America, the Work surname is found most commonly in Scotland, where it is quite an old and established name. However, it is not as populous here as in the United States and Canada. The Work surname is also found in moderate numbers in England, Ireland, Germany, and other parts of Europe.
Variations of the surname Work
The surname Work is of old English and Scottish origin. It began originally as the name Werk, an English habitational surname derived from the Old English words “werc” and “worc”, which mean “a working place”. The surname has a few variants in spelling, such as Werke, Worke, or Wurk.
In Scotland, the surname is pronounced and spelled “Work”, with some variants such as Worke, Wyrke, and Werke. In Ireland, the surname is spelled Work with some variants as Worke, Works, Word, Werk, and Wyrke.
The surname has been passed down through generations, beginning as aplacename and evolving into a common last name. It has also been adopted by immigrants to the United States, particularly during the 19th century.
Additional surnames of the same origin include Wark, Warke, Warkes, Warcks, Warck, and Warks. Other variants include Werkman, Wordie, Workie, Worchey, Workert, and Workings.
Overall, the surname Work has multiple variants, with similar spellings suggesting a shared family origin.
Famous people with the name Work
- Kobe Work: American race car driver
- Thomas Work: American rower and Olympic medalist
- Leonard Work: American abstract expressionist painter
- Lesly Work: American gospel singer
- Michaela Work: American mathematician
- Paul Work: American geneticist
- John O. Work: American composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist
- Tim Work: American film and television actor
- Marsha Work: American librarian and editor
- Ed Work: Canadian artist and author