Surname Ethrington - Meaning and Origin
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Ethrington: What does the surname Ethrington mean?
The last name Ethrington is believed to be of English origin and possibly derived from the Old English place name 'Eorthingtun'. 'Eorthingtun' may be broken down into three parts - 'eorð', 'ing', and 'tun'. 'Eorð' translates to 'earth' or 'soil', 'ing' is often used as a suffix to denote 'the people of', and 'tun' refers to a settlement, farm, or homestead. Therefore, in a broad sense, Ethrington could mean ‘Farm or settlement of Eorthing’s people’.
Moreover, as surnames can sometimes be linked to specific geographical locations, Ethrington may have been given to families originating from specific parts in England. However, very few records of such a place called Ethrington exist today. Lastly, it's important to note that the interpretation of surname origins is not always exact, and meanings could have evolved or changed over time. Given the uncertain and complex origins of surnames, genealogy research can provide further insight in individual cases.
Order DNA origin analysisEthrington: Where does the name Ethrington come from?
The surname Ethrington is of English origin. It is derived from two old English words: "Ethel" meaning noble and "ington" which usually denotes a settlement or town. This indicates that the surname likely originated from a town or settlement of nobles in England.
The variations, Etherington and Edderington, emerged from the different phonetic spellings over years and regions.
Most persons with the name Ethrington are found in the United Kingdom, primarily England, justifying its Anglo-Saxon origin. It is also found, though less commonly, in America, Australia, and Canada due to historical migration and colonisation. The name is considered fairly rare and thus is not particularly common in any specific location. Despite its relative rarity, the Ethrington surname may have increased in frequency over time due to the widespread presence of the English language and culture.
Variations of the surname Ethrington
The surname Ethrington has several variants which are often due to regional and dialectal differences or even individual choices. The variants include Etherington, Ethrington, Etherton, Eatherton, Eatherington, and Etterington. However, the most common variant spelling of the surname Ethrington is Etherington.
These alterations of the original surname happened frequently, as literacy was not widespread until the last few centuries, and names were therefore often recorded as scribes heard them, resulting in different spellings.
Most of these spellings originate from the same place - a location named Etherington in England. They are a type of habitation surname - a category which includes surnames derived from pre-existing names of towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
It's important to note that surname spelling can often differ even within members of the same family, especially in earlier centuries when literacy was rare. Therefore, when researching genealogical records, it might be helpful to consider various spellings of the surname Ethrington.
Famous people with the name Ethrington
1) Matthew Ethrington: A retired English professional footballer who primarily played as a winger, Ethrington had an extensive career with several clubs like West Ham United and Stoke City. 2) Darren Ethrington: Another English footballer who played as a forward for clubs like Torquay United and Canterbury City. 3) Josh Ethrington: An American professional soccer player, Ethrington has played for teams like Los Angeles Galaxy and Orange County SC in the United States Soccer League. 4) Andrew Ethrington: A former English cricketer, Ethrington was a left-handed batsman who bowled left-arm medium pace. 5) Nick Ethrington: Known for his work in the music department of several notable films like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "The Da Vinci Code". 6) Richard Ethrington: An actor known for his appearance on the British soap opera "Doctors". 7) John Ethrington: A well-respected British engineer who focused on power station design and operation. Please note that the fame of these individuals can vary depending on the context, for instance, some may be locally famous or well-known within their particular field.