Withers (surname) facts for kids

Withers is an English surname. A surname is like a family name that people share. The name Withers comes from Old English words. Today, you can find people with the Withers family name all over the world, especially in places where English is spoken.

History of the Withers Name

The name Withers has been around for a very long time in England. One of the earliest mentions is from the year 1005. In a special old document from King Æthelred II, a person signed as "Ego Ƿiþer minister," which means "I Wither, the assistant."

The name also appears in the Domesday Book from 1086. This was a huge record of land and people in England. In this book, "Wither" was the name of someone who rented land. It seems "Wither" was a personal name given to someone, not a name that came from a place or a job.

The first family records that continued over time seem to be in Lancashire and Cheshire. Around the year 1200, there was a knight named Sir Robert Wither. He was an important official, like a manager, for a powerful person named Roger de Lacy. Sir Robert Wither married Joan, the daughter of another knight.

By the 1400s, families who believed they were related to Sir Robert Wither lived in many parts of England. These places included Cheshire, Lancashire, Wiltshire, Essex, London, Somerset, and Hampshire. The Withers family in Hampshire became very well known. For over 400 years, starting in 1484, they were the owners of a large estate called Manydown.

Family Coat of Arms

Withers of East Sheen arms and crest

Some families have a special design called a coat of arms. It's like a unique family symbol. One Withers family was given a coat of arms during the time of Queen Mary I (from 1553 to 1558). Sir Richard Withers of East Sheen received this special design.

His coat of arms is described as having a white or silver background. On it, there is a red V-shape, and three black crescent moons. The family also has a traditional motto: "I grow and wither both together."

Famous People Named Withers

Many people with the surname Withers have become famous in different fields.

Actors

• Bernadette Withers (1946–2019), an American actress.
• Googie Withers (1917–2011), a British movie actress.
• Grant Withers (1905–1959), an American movie actor.
• Isabel Withers (1896–1968), an American actress.
• Jane Withers (1926–2021), an American actress who worked in radio, TV, and movies.
• Mark Withers (actor) (born 1947), an American television actor.

Ambassadors

• John L. Withers, II, a US Ambassador to Albania. An ambassador is a country's official representative in another country.

Artists and Architects

• Ernest Withers (1922–2007), an African-American photographer.
• Frederick Clarke Withers (1828–1901), a British-American architect known for Gothic Revival style buildings.
• Margery Withers (1894–1966), an Australian artist.
• Robert Jewell Withers (1824–1894), an English architect who designed churches.
• Walter Withers (1854–1914), an Australian landscape artist.

Athletes

• Bob Withers, an Australian Rules footballer from the 1950s and 1960s.
• Charlie Withers (1922–2005), an English footballer.
• Colin Withers (1940–2020), an English footballer.
• David D. Withers (1821–1892), an American who bred racehorses.
• Gadwin Withers, a British athlete who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
• H. W. Withers, an American college basketball and football coach.
• Lincoln Withers (born 1981), an Australian rugby league player.
• Mark Withers (footballer) (born 1964), an Australian Rules footballer.
• Michael Withers (born 1976), an Australian rugby league footballer.
• Ted Withers (1915–1994), an English footballer.

Military Leaders

• Henry Withers (c.1651–1729), a British soldier and politician.
• Jones M. Withers (1814–1890), an American Confederate major general, lawyer, and politician.
• Ramsey Muir Withers (1930–2014), a Canadian soldier who was once the Chief of the Defence Staff.

Musicians

• Bill Withers (1938–2020), a famous African-American singer-songwriter.
• Elisabeth Withers, an American jazz and R&B singer.
• Pick Withers (born 1948), a British rock and jazz drummer.

Politicians

• Charles Bigg Wither (1822–1894), a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council, which helped make laws.
• Elijah Benton Withers (1836–1898), an American politician.
• Eugene Withers (1867–1925), an American politician.
• Garrett L. Withers (1884–1953), an American politician.
• George Withers (politician) (1843-1908), an Australian politician.
• Capt. John Withers (1634-1699), a burgess (a representative) and justice in colonial Virginia.
• Sir John Withers (1863–1939), a British politician.
• Reginald Withers (1924–2014), an Australian politician.
• Robert E. Withers (1821–1907), a doctor, US Senator, and diplomat.
• Thomas Jefferson Withers (1804–1865), a politician during the American Civil War.
• William Withers (1657–1720), an English politician and Lord Mayor of London.
• William A. Withers (died 1887), a mayor of Cumberland, Maryland, USA.

Writers

• Alexander Scott Withers (1792–1865), an American historian.
• Charles W. J. Withers (born 1954), a Scottish historical geographer.
• George Wither (1588–1667), an English poet and satirist.

Fictional Characters

• Hildegarde Withers, a detective character in novels by Stuart Palmer.

See also

• Withers (disambiguation)
• Oakley Hall, Hampshire