Surname Winterbourne - Meaning and Origin
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Winterbourne: What does the surname Winterbourne mean?
The last name Winterbourne is a locational surname of English origin. It is derived from the Old English words ‘wynter’ and ‘burne’, and is believed to have referred to someone who was either from, or had some kind of connection to, a settlement by a stream or a river during wintertime. In a more literal sense, the name Winterbourne is thought to mean ‘a winter brook’.
Winterbourne can also refer to places in the United Kingdom, such as the town of Winterbourne, Wiltshire, located near Stonehenge. In Gloucestershire, there is a place called Winterbourne Hill, and an area known as Winterbourne Down. In East Sussex, there is Winterbourne Street. In all cases, the name appears to stem from the common connection of being near a water source during winter.
Interestingly, the Winterbourne family can trace their genealogical roots back to the late 17th century. In 1690 Francis Winterbourne and his wife Mary moved to Easton, Essex, where they had 12 children. Since then, the Winterbourne name has spread throughout the world, with descendants of Francis and Mary popping up around the globe.
The name Winterbourne may have begun as a simple description of a geographical location, but its legacy has lived on in the form of the Winterbourne family name. Its meaning as a winter stream remains timeless, as does its connections to the many places around the U.K. that bear the name.
Order DNA origin analysisWinterbourne: Where does the name Winterbourne come from?
The last name Winterbourne is most commonly found in England and Wales. In England, a majority of the Winterbourne population is concentrated in the southwest, along the South Coast and in the Thames Valley. In Wales, the majority of the Winterbournes are found near Cardiff and Swansea.
The rare family name Winterbourne is also present in Canada, the United States, Australia, and some other countries, though in comparatively fewer numbers. In the United States, the states with the highest concentrations of Winterbournes are Massachusetts, California, and New York. In Canada, most Winterbournes are located near Toronto and Vancouver. Australia’s Winterbournes are mostly found in Sydney and other major cities.
The origin of the Winterbourne surname can be traced back to England in the Middle Ages. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word 'wintra', meaning “winter", and 'burnas', meaning “streams”. It was likely given to people living in a valley near a winter stream. It is also plausible that the name is a direct translation of an even earlier surname.
Today, Winterbourne is a rare and unusual name but they can be found in many parts of the world, most notably in the countries of England, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Variations of the surname Winterbourne
The Winterbourne surname has various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some of the more common variants include:
Winterborn: This spelling has the same origin as the Winterbourne name. It is a locational name derived from the area of Winterborne St Martin, a parish in the county of Dorset, England.
Winterburn: This spelling follows the same rules and is also derived from the same location as the previous variant.
Winterbourne Whitechurch: This variant is also from the same location as the other two, just with the addition of "Whitechurch" included in it, which is historically also a location in Dorset, England.
Winterborne: This variant follows the same rules and is also from the same location as the original variant.
Winters: has the same origin as the original surname. It is a variant of the Winterborne surname and is likely derived from the phrase "of the winter" and denotes a landholder who owned land in the winter season.
Wintour: This variant has the same origin as the original surname. It is derived from the Middle English word "winter", which means "winter", and denotes someone who lived in a location associated with winter.
Winterton: This variant is derived from the same origin as the original surname and the other variants. It is a locational name from the village of Winterton in North Lincolnshire, England.
Wyndebourne: This variant is derived from the same origin, and is a locational name from the now extinct village of Wyndebourne located in Wiltshire, England.
Overall, the surname Winterbourne has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Each variant reflects a location that was associated with the family at some point in history. Whether it is an area in Dorset, Wiltshire, North Lincolnshire or Wiltshire, each variant of the Winterbourne surname has a unique and distinct history associated with it.
Famous people with the name Winterbourne
- Jesse Winterbourne: American professional ice hockey player
- Ezra Winterbourne: British actor
- Lily Winterbourne: British film producer
- Alan Winterbourne: British philosopher
- John Winterbourne: New Zealand radio presenter
- Abigail Winterbourne: American singer-songwriter
- Jake Winterbourne: British actor
- Meredith Winterbourne: English writer
- Timothy Winterbourne: English explorer
- Redd Winterbourne: American actor, director, and producer