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Whita?
Apr 7, 2007 23:55:36 GMT -5
Post by Zenobia on Apr 7, 2007 23:55:36 GMT -5
One name I did not see on Jim's site (and which I have always wondered about) is the Cornish surname "Whitta", which is common in Gwithian.
It eventually got Anglicized to White, but definitley does not have that meaning as in Cornish white would be wyn or gwyn.
Anyone know the origin of Whita/Whitta?
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Whita?
Apr 9, 2007 11:20:28 GMT -5
Post by Cornish Terrier on Apr 9, 2007 11:20:28 GMT -5
Sorry I (meaning Pawley-White) cannot help with this one as it does not appear in the 'Handbook of Cornish Surnames'. It certainly does not sound, or read, like a Cornish name so we may be looking at a 'blow-in'. The problem there is that the 'blow-in' must have arrived over 500 years ago! ;D I would be thinking about some of the Manors in the area as a possibility. Who had them (and when) etc. - this may help provide an answer. Mind you - I do not know everything!
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Whita?
Apr 9, 2007 23:49:11 GMT -5
Post by Zenobia on Apr 9, 2007 23:49:11 GMT -5
Sorry I (meaning Pawley-White) cannot help with this one as it does not appear in the 'Handbook of Cornish Surnames'. It certainly does not sound, or read, like a Cornish name so we may be looking at a 'blow-in'. The problem there is that the 'blow-in' must have arrived over 500 years ago! ;D I would be thinking about some of the Manors in the area as a possibility. Who had them (and when) etc. - this may help provide an answer. Mind you - I do not know everything! I don't think it sounds Anglo Saxon at all. Call it atavism, but it really has a "Cornish" feel to me... Another import, however, since you bring it up, is our Lelant Thurlebys. That one is definitely Anglo-Danish, straight from the fen country somewhere....
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Whita?
Apr 10, 2007 9:36:46 GMT -5
Post by Cornish Terrier on Apr 10, 2007 9:36:46 GMT -5
Have had another check but can still find nothing on White or Whita in any of my books.
But here is an interesting one for you (from PAWLEY WHITE) -
WEIGHELL - Possibly from 'whegol' dearest. ;D
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Whita?
Apr 11, 2007 21:42:13 GMT -5
Post by Zenobia on Apr 11, 2007 21:42:13 GMT -5
Have had another check but can still find nothing on White or Whita in any of my books. But here is an interesting one for you (from PAWLEY WHITE) - WEIGHELL - Possibly from 'whegol' dearest. ;D Ah, except my Weigels were German and it is a patronymic; Weigel being a diminutive of Weigand. So at some time in the mist of Saxony, I had an ancestor named Weigand; affectionately called "Weigel" whose son Johan or Jacob or Heinrich etc etc began using it as a surname... Weigand, interestingly enough, means 'warrior'. I like that.
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Whita?
Apr 12, 2007 7:18:14 GMT -5
Post by Cornish Terrier on Apr 12, 2007 7:18:14 GMT -5
Still interesting to find such a similar name in use in Cornwall 'all those years ago'! ;D
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Whita?
Apr 12, 2007 16:20:16 GMT -5
Post by Zenobia on Apr 12, 2007 16:20:16 GMT -5
Still interesting to find such a similar name in use in Cornwall 'all those years ago'! ;D It is strange - I wonder how many Cornish derived Weigels or variants exist, if any? When speaking to my German neighbor about my genealogy, I always pronounce my own surname "Veigel" tho' which is actually the correct pronunciation.
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Whita?
Apr 13, 2007 7:55:52 GMT -5
Post by Cornish Terrier on Apr 13, 2007 7:55:52 GMT -5
Here is something from the 1880 Census SW England:- E. Weigel, male, age 25, born Germany, assistant worker Enumerated at Tormoham, Devon as a servant to F. PARRMANRD who had also been born in Germany. Weigel's employer was married to a Torquay girl and their five children were all born in Torquay. Jane Weighel, age 40, servant cook, born Sunderland, Durham She was employed at Boyton House, Boyton, Wiltshire as a cook for the family of the widowed Jane L. Fenwick. I will see if I can find any more in the 1901 Census and maybe have a quick check of the other early Census Records.
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kernow62
Ysel
Born again pagan.
Posts: 54
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Whita?
Apr 14, 2007 20:48:53 GMT -5
Post by kernow62 on Apr 14, 2007 20:48:53 GMT -5
Is the surname extinct?
It is one I do not know, the closest is WHETTER.
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Whita?
Apr 14, 2007 23:53:33 GMT -5
Post by Zenobia on Apr 14, 2007 23:53:33 GMT -5
Is the surname extinct? It is one I do not know, the closest is WHETTER. I am sure it is extinct in that form, but it got Anglicized in Gwithian to White... Maybe it could be a form of whetter....
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Whita?
Apr 15, 2007 9:15:21 GMT -5
Post by Cornish Terrier on Apr 15, 2007 9:15:21 GMT -5
WHETTER is another that does not appear in G. Pawley White's 'Handbook of Cornish Surnames' (1972) and it is not a name I have encountered before.
At the moment I am at a loss with this one but will consider it further.
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kernow62
Ysel
Born again pagan.
Posts: 54
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Whita?
Apr 19, 2007 21:13:13 GMT -5
Post by kernow62 on Apr 19, 2007 21:13:13 GMT -5
Whilst that is certainly a good book on the subject it is not exhaustive, there are many others in my collection and between the lot no Whitas in sight. There is a Whita Hill in Scotland though. Jim WHETTER is another that does not appear in G. Pawley White's 'Handbook of Cornish Surnames' (1972) and it is not a name I have encountered before. At the moment I am at a loss with this one but will consider it further.
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Whita?
Apr 19, 2007 21:40:26 GMT -5
Post by Cornish Terrier on Apr 19, 2007 21:40:26 GMT -5
Hi Jim, This is a curious one - the name certainly appears in the early PR's but it has never seemed like a Cornish name to me. I understand that Pawley White's book is not exhaustive but reasonably thorough anyway. And you have said that your own other sources have not thrown any light on the subject. In one of my earlier responses I believe I suggested some very early 'blow-ins' and I still suspect it may be the case. If it can be determined what property this family held in Gwithian then it may be possible to find some sort of Deeds (or other documents) that might help show how they came to be there. I really do suspect they wre 'out of towners' but I am prepared to be proved wrong! Let's throw it back to .... the Birthday Girl! ;D
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Whita?
Jun 24, 2007 6:46:26 GMT -5
Post by cornishmaid on Jun 24, 2007 6:46:26 GMT -5
Just thought these might be of interest... from the Cornwall Record Office catalogue of documents held there.... (1) AD131 Rowe Family of Goonsoyle and Menadarva, Camborne AD131/3 Financial Papers RefNo AD131/3/1 Title Account of money paid by James Rowe 'for the soporte of Frances WHITTA'. Date 1781 (2) A Lease for Tywarnhaile, Date 20 Feb 1759, was witnessed by a Thomas WHITTA. (3) Will of John WHITTA of Helston, dated 1613. (4) Will of William Whitta of Phillack, dated 1618. I haven't tried any variations of the name as yet.
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Whita?
Jun 24, 2007 11:40:22 GMT -5
Post by cornishmaid on Jun 24, 2007 11:40:22 GMT -5
And a couple more:
AP/W/93 Will of Jenat Whita, widow, of Gwithan 1606-1607 AP/W/441 Will of Richard Whita of Gwithian 1626
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